Official Thread: Australian Open [Archive]

colocolo

January 9th, 2002, 11:25

Jennifer Capriati struggled with her serve and a sore leg at the Adidas International on Wednesday and lost her opening match to Alexandra Stevenson.

Capriati, seeded first and preparing to open defense of her first Grand Slam tournament title next week at the Australian Open, was beaten 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-4.

The 20-year-old Stevenson advanced to the quarterfinals of the hard-court event despite wasting two match points. She reached the semifinals at Wimbledon as a qualifier in 1999.

Capriati, who had a first-round bye, left the court for 10 minutes after losing the first game of the third set to get treatment for what appeared to be an upper leg injury or cramp.

Then her game gave her trouble.

Trailing 5-4 in the decisive set but serving, Capriati led 40-0 before a series of errors brought the game to deuce. Capriati's double fault gave Stevenson a match point, which she threw away with an errant groundstroke. But another double fault followed, and Capriati hit a backhand wide to end it.

Stevenson had wasted another match point while serving at 5-3, wiping it out with a double fault, then putting a forehand wide.

Third-seeded Kim Clijsters, who lost to Capriati in the 2001 French Open final, rallied from a set and service break down to beat Italy's Silvia Farina Elia 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-1.

That set up a quarterfinal between Clijsters and fellow Belgian Justine Henin, who eliminated Conchita Martinez 6-0, 6-3.

With no Australians left in the tournament, the crowd strongly supported Clijsters - the girlfriend of men's No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, an Australian. She raced through the third set in 28 minutes but finished with 60 unforced errors, which she blamed on a swirling wind and hot conditions.

In other women's matches, No. 7-seeded Sandrine Testud defeated Henriera Nagyova 6-1, 6-2 in 59 minutes to move into a quarterfinal against defending champion Martina Hingis, while Meghann Shaughnessy had a 6-4, 6-1 win over Daniela Hantuchova.

In the first women's quarterfinal later Wednesday at Sydney's International Tennis Center, No. 4-seed Serena Williams was to play No. 6 Amelie Mauresmo.
__________________________________________________ __
On the men's side, Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand - who ousted top-seeded Sebastien Grosjean in the first round - lost to Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-2, 6-3. Mirnyi's quarterfinal opponent will be Julien Boutter, who beat Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 7-6 (3).

Other second-round action included former No. 1 Marcelo Rios eliminating Andrei Pavel 6-1, 6-4, Nicolas Escude beating fourth-seeded Guilermo Canas of Argentina 6-4, 6-1, and Lee Hynung-taik defeating Karol Kucera 6-2, 6-1.

:cool:

Adriano

January 9th, 2002, 14:02

Capriati should have closed the game when when she was serving at 4-5 in the 3rd set at 40-0. It could have been totally different. Both player had troubles with their serving as well.

real fan

January 9th, 2002, 17:59

The seedings for Men:

1 Lleyton Hewitt (Australia)
2 Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil)
3 Andre Agassi (U.S.)
4 Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia)
5 Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain)
6 Sebastien Grosjean (France)
7 Tim Henman (Britain)
8 Tommy Haas (Germany)
9 Pete Sampras (U.S.)
10 Marat Safin (Russia)
11 Goran Ivanisevic (Croatia)
12 Roger Federer (Switzerland)
13 Guillermo Canas (Argentina)
14 Andy Roddick (U.S.)
15 Alex Corretja (Spain)
16 Arnaud Clement (France)

real fan

January 9th, 2002, 18:02

The seedings for women:

1 Jennifer Capriati (U.S.)
2 Venus Williams (U.S.)
3 Martina Hingis (Switzerland)
4 Kim Clijsters (Belgium)
5 Serena Williams (U.S.)
6 Justine Henin (Belgium)
7 Amelie Mauresmo (France)
8 Monica Seles (U.S.)
9 Sandrine Testud (France)
10 Meghann Shaughnessy (U.S.)
11 Silvia Farina Elia (Italy)
12 Elena Dementieva (Russia)
13 Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria)
14 A.Sanchez-Vicario (Spain)
15 A.Coetzer (South Africa)
16 I.Tulyaganova (Uzbekistan)

colocolo

January 10th, 2002, 10:58

Ferrero withdraws from Australian Open

Jan 9, 2002 10:57 PM (EST)

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Spain's Juan Carlos Ferrero, seeded No. 5 in the Australian Open, withdrew from the major tournament Thursday because of a knee injury.
Switzerland's Ivo Heuberger took Ferrero's spot in the main draw and France's Sebastian Grosjean moved from sixth to fifth in the seedings.

:mute:

real fan

January 10th, 2002, 15:21

NOO!!! How could that happen so close to the Ozzie open?? :eek: Da*n i really wanted to see him play.. :(

Steph!

January 10th, 2002, 21:52

Yeah too bad Ferroro won't be playing in the Aussie Open !! :depress:
Well he shouldn't be too dissapointed tough as hardcourt isn't his surface of predilection !! I don't think he would have gone far anyway !! Quarter at most !!

I expect him too be stronger than ever in the next Roland-Garros where only Kuerten seems able to match the pace of the Spaniard youngster !! That's gonna be hot !!!!

Forza Ferrero ! :)

Oh btw did anyone see Martina Hingis at Sydney Internationals !!? :eek: She is really playing well like her true self !! She will go far in the Aussie Open believe me !! :)
I noticed physical changes too by Martina ! She looks like she has developped her muscles a bit !! Less fragile !! Did you notice too or is it just me?...

:)

colocolo

January 10th, 2002, 22:59

4 days from the first serve... and they're dropping like flies !!! :eek: Shhot I hope it stops here !!! :hopefull:

Steph!

January 11th, 2002, 00:17

Originally posted by colocolo
4 days from the first serve... and they're dropping like flies !!! :eek: Shhot I hope it stops here !!! :hopefull:

Yeah !!... Maybe it's the hot temperatures !!! :D

Btw - What about the huge conflagration that devastated New South Wales recently !? Is it over !? :cool:

colocolo

January 11th, 2002, 11:39

The draw for the Australian Open has a distinctly American flavor.

Defending champion Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were drawn Friday in the same quarter as young guns Andy Roddick and Jan-Michael Gambill, along with former U.S. Open champion Marat Safin of Russia. Current No. 1, the top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, is in the same half.

"That's a very tough section. The great Americans are there with Agassi and Sampras, and the future with Roddick and Gambill," said tournament director Paul McNamee. "Then there's Safin as well."

Former women's No. 1 Martina Hingis is confronted by a formidable American barrier.

The 21-year-old Swiss player has to beat No. 2 Venus Williams, the reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, her sister Serena and then top-seeded Jennifer Capriati, the defending champion, to clinch another Grand Slam title.

Hingis, who won consecutive Australian Opens from 1997-99 and figured in the 2000 and 2001 finals, overcame both Williams sisters last year before losing to Capriati in the final. It was Capriati's first Grand Slam title.

Hingis has not won a major since her last win Down Under in 1999.

Australian and French Open champion Capriati is in the easier side of the women's draw and will open against Silvija Talaja of Croatia, with a possible quarterfinal against seventh-seeded Amelie Mauresmo of France.

Capriati should meet one of Belgian pair Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin, the fourth- and sixth-seeded players respectively, in the semifinals.

Third-seeded Hingis starts off against France's Viginie Razzano, but has a possible quarterfinal against Serena Williams and a semifinal against Venus Williams.

Venus Williams starts against a qualifier and should face little problem until a possible quarterfinal against former world No. 1 Monica Seles. Serena Williams, the fifth-seeded player, opens against Spaniard Conchita Martinez.

Hewitt, sidelined with chickenpox since the Hopman Cup, will have to beat Agassi or Sampras, the holder of 13 Grand Slam titles, just to reach the men's final.

Agassi and Sampras could meet in a quarterfinal, but first face possible fourth-round clashes against big-serving Roddick and former world No. 1 Safin.

Third-seeded Agassi plays a qualifier in the first round.

Sampras, seeded eighth this year and without a Grand Slam title since Wimbledon in 2000, takes on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in his opener.

Hewitt, battling to recover after his illness, also must negotiate the top-heavy first half and plays tough Spaniard Alberto Martin first.

The 20-year-old Hewitt is hoping to become the first homegrown Australian Open winner since 1976. He faces a possible quarterfinal against either Roger Federer or Tommy Haas.

McNamee said Hewitt has been practicing privately at Melbourne Park in recent days.

"He's not been at full pace because that's medically the right thing to do," McNamee said. "You can't expect him to be at his absolute best in the early rounds. He'll be hoping to get through and get stronger as the tournament goes on."

Former world No.1 Marcelo Rios is in the same quarter of the draw as Hewitt.
Rios sucks !!! :yuck:
In the bottom half, 1999 champion and fourth-seeded Yevgeny Kefelnikov of Russia faces a possible quarterfinal against fifth-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, while second seeded Gustavo Kuerten will open against Julien Boutter of France.

Kuerten's probable quarterfinals opponent is Briton Tim Henman, seeded sixth.

Australia's Mark Philippoussis is also in the bottom half along with Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, adding some firepower to it.

Among the tough opening women's matches, Anna Kournikova takes on Henin and Seles plays Patty Schnyder.

Obviously the opinion of an American writer !!! :mute:

Adriano

January 11th, 2002, 14:37

Originally posted by colocolo

Rios sucks !!! :yuck:

Well he did come close to beating Federer yesterday ;)

Jose luis pirri

January 12th, 2002, 07:22

Good draw. Some great matchups for the men especially Mariano Zabaleta vs. Roddick and Corretja vs. James Blake. For the women, Serena Williams vs. Conchita Martinez, Henin vs. Anna Kournikova and Sanchez-Vicario vs. Iva Majoli look like interesting matches :)

Abdul

January 13th, 2002, 01:05

Woohooo guys, i gonna go to Aus open, I went last year, and im gonna go again, KI, try come down, the atmosphere is gonna be great.

1300 888 102

pizza hut, good call !!!

Steph!

January 13th, 2002, 01:16

Originally posted by Jose luis pirri
...Henin vs. Anna Kournikova...

Well sorry for the pretty Anna but she's gonna be knockout of the first round...again ! :D

Christian you're one lucky bastard !!! :depress:

Adriano

January 13th, 2002, 02:40

Originally posted by Christian
KI, try come down, the atmosphere is gonna be great.

I would if I could, but it's too late now and I ain't gonna spend money for the Australian Open :eek:

Euan

January 13th, 2002, 06:52

I'm going for Andy Roddick hope he wins.

real fan

January 13th, 2002, 06:55

Originally posted by Euan
I'm going for Andy Roddick hope he wins.

Yea.. he's always impressed in the big games... but i doubt he can win the whole thing..

Claudia_Du

January 13th, 2002, 14:59

I know I'm a bit late, as the Open already start tomorrow.

My favourite player and in my opinion the best of all time is Pete Sampras, but I'm not sure if he can win this tournament. He has a tough draw.

I also like Andy Roddick a lot.

And as long as Agassi doesn't win, I'm fine. ;)

On the lady's I would go for on of the Williams sisters or Kim Clijsters.

colocolo

January 13th, 2002, 16:07

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The 13-time Grand Slam winner defeated Agassi 7-6 (8-6), 6-7 (6-8), 6-3 in 105 minutes. It was their first meeting since their epic quarterfinal at last September's U.S. Open, where Sampras triumphed in four tiebreak sets. Sampras leads Agassi 18-14 in tour and Grand Slam matches.
Both had trouble coping with the swirling wind on the open stadium court, and although Agassi got the early jump by breaking serve in the opening game, he failed to close out the set, giving Sampras the early advantage.

``The wind doesn't have that much of an effect on my game as it would his, but that doesn't mean anything unless it is executed properly,'' Agassi said. ``He came up with the goods in the third set and I did not come up with the goods in the first set, and that's what it all boils down to.''

Sampras finished with 23 aces.

``Every match isn't that different between us,'' Sampras said. ``I know what he's going to do, he knows what I'm going to do, it's just a matter of who's going to do it that little bit better.''

Agassi, seeded third, and Sampras, seeded eighth, are in the same quarter of the Australian Open. Sampras hasn't won a Grand Slam event since the 2000 Wimbledon, although he reached the final of the U.S. Open last year.

``I may be eighth seed,'' Sampras said, ``but if you go on Grand Slam performances over the years, I'm up there.''

:cool:

Jose luis pirri

January 14th, 2002, 00:19

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Andre Agassi's bid for a third straight Australian Open title ended when he pulled out of the year's first Grand Slam event because of a wrist injury.

The announcement Monday (Sunday EST) by the organizers came just hours before the tournament was to begin.

Agassi won this event in 2000 and 2001 and was in position to become the first man to win three consecutive Australian Opens since Roy Emerson, who won five in a row from 1963-67.

Agassi, seeded third, informed Australian Open organizers late Sunday night.

Agassi lost to Pete Sampras in three sets Saturday in the final of an exhibition tournament in Melbourne.

Agassi had been in the same half of the draw as No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, Sampras, Marat Safin and Andy Roddick. They start play Tuesday.

:(

Tigerheart

January 14th, 2002, 02:43

Serena Williams is out with an injury aswell, just in case you didn't know already.

And Kiefer will be out in some minutes against Jiri Novak. I can'T understand his attitude, absolutely no fighting spirit, i hope he quits playing tennis cause he isn't worth 1000 $. I am telling you, Novak vs. me would be a better show for the fans :eekani:. I would at least fight for any ball althought I wouldn't win a single game... After 5 minutes the audience would be louder than it is in the whole Kiefer :fero: match.

Tigerheart

January 14th, 2002, 02:47

1-6/0-6/2-4 rain break...

paw

January 14th, 2002, 04:43

Looks like there are going to be many absentees this time round. And with Sampras and Hewitt in the same part of the draw, the tournament might lose its flavour by the time the final comes around.

paw;)

Tigerheart

January 14th, 2002, 05:09

I wouldn't rate Sampras that high anyway. I can't see him win this tournament. Little update: Kuerten has to fight very hard now: 6-3/6-4/5-7/3-6/0-2

paw

January 14th, 2002, 07:06

From BBCSport

Monday, 14 January, 2002, 05:03 GMT
Kuerten falls in Melbourne

Julien Boutter (FRA) beats Gustavo Kuerten (BRA,2) 3-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-3.
World number two Gustavo Kuerten was knocked out of the Australian Open by a spirited performance from Frenchman Julien Boutter.

Kuerten, who has never progressed past the second round in Melbourne, appeared to be on course for a routine victory when he raced into a two set lead.

But Boutter had other ideas, and made the most of powerful first serve, hitting 37 aces to claw his way back into the match.

The Brazilian player was well below par and twice had to receive courtside treatment on a troublesome leg injury.

Kuerten gifted Boutter a crucial break of serve in the eighth game of the fourth set with a double fault.

And from then on the momentum was with the Frenchman.

Russian fourth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov had no such trouble with Germany's Michael Kohlmann, cruising to a 6-3 6-3 6-2 win.
---
Kinda surprised that Kuerton has not done well at Aussie Open again. If anything he should have more problems on grass. With the tournament losing so many stars, this is just what the organisers do not need.;)

paw;)

paw

January 14th, 2002, 07:14

Goran Ivanisevic is slightly down against Michael Damm. 2-3 first set with a break down. It looks like a long afternoon for Goran.

paw;)

paw

January 14th, 2002, 07:30

Selected results so far:

Men's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Julien Boutter (FRA) def. Gustavo Kuerten (BRA)[2] 3-6 4-6 7-5 6-3 6-3
Tim Henman (GBR)[6] def. Todd Larkham (AUS) 7-5 6-2 6-2
Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS)[4] def. Michael Kohlmann (GER) 6-3 6-3 6-2
Jiri Novak (CZE)[26] def. Nicolas Kiefer (GER) 6-1 6-0 6-4
Younes El Aynaoui (MAR)[21] def. Jiri Vanek (CZE) 6-3 6-3 6-3
Thomas Enqvist (SWE)[24] def. Nicolas Thomann (FRA) 2-6 6-3 6-1 6-2

Women's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Venus Williams (USA)[2] def. Ansley Cargill (USA) 6-2 6-2
Monica Seles (USA)[8] def. Patty Schnyder (SUI) 6-1 6-2
Amanda Coetzer (RSA)[15] def. Miriam Oremans (NED) 6-1 6-1
Jill Craybas (USA) def. Mary Pierce (FRA) 4/0 Ret.
Nathalie Dechy (FRA) def. Sandrine Testud (FRA)[9] 7-5 4-6 6-3
Magdalena Maleeva (BUL)[13] def. Marie-Gaiane Mikaelian (SUI) 6-3 6-4

In Progress:
Men's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Scott Draper (AUS) vs. Greg Rusedski (GBR)[28]
Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)[5] vs. Juan Balcells (ESP)
Ivo Heuberger (SUI) vs. Hicham Arazi (MAR)[22]
Martin Damm (CZE) vs. Goran Ivanisevic (CRO)[10]

Later tonite:
Men's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Mark Philippoussis (AUS) vs. Galo Blanco (ESP)

Women's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Virginie Razzano (FRA) vs. Martina Hingis (SUI)[3]
Andrea Glass (GER) vs. Barbara Schett (AUT)[17]

paw;)

real fan

January 14th, 2002, 09:02

Oh no.. i can't believe Agassi and Serena williams pulled out! they woudda done so wel.. :(

colocolo

January 14th, 2002, 11:36

Guga is out ?? Gone with the wind ?? hehehehe :howler:

colocolo

January 14th, 2002, 11:51

Completed Matches by Event----------------------------Men's

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Rod Laver Arena 1 2 3 4 5

Martin Damm CZE 6 5 64 4
vs. Match Statistics
Goran Ivanisevic CRO(10) 4 7 77 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Rod Laver Arena 1 2 3 4 5

Julien Boutter FRA 3 4 7 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Gustavo Kuerten BRA(2) 6 6 5 3 3

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Vodafone Arena 1 2 3 4 5

Tim Henman GBR(6) 7 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Todd Larkham AUS 5 2 2

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Vodafone Arena 1 2 3 4 5

Scott Draper AUS 68 3 5
vs. Match Statistics
Greg Rusedski GBR(28) 710 6 7

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 1 1 2 3 4 5

Albert Portas ESP(18) 63 78 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Andrew Ilie AUS 77 66 2 0

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 1 1 2 3 4 5

Michael Kohlmann GER 3 3 2
vs. Match Statistics
Yevgeny Kafelnikov RUS(4) 6 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 2 1 2 3 4 5

Sebastien Grosjean FRA(5) 6 2 77 77
vs. Match Statistics
Juan Balcells ESP 2 6 65 62

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 2 1 2 3 4 5

Jerome Golmard FRA 77 7 77
vs. Match Statistics
Wayne Arthurs AUS 64 5 65

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 3 1 2 3 4 5

Nicolas Kiefer GER 1 0 4
vs. Match Statistics
Jiri Novak CZE(26) 6 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Show Court 3 1 2 3 4 5

Alex Corretja ESP(14) 7 66 3 2
vs. Match Statistics
James Blake USA 5 78 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 4 1 2 3 4 5

Alex Kim USA 3 6 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Davide Sanguinetti ITA 6 2 3 4

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 4 1 2 3 4 5

Vladimir Voltchkov BLR 3 6 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Cecil Mamiit USA 6 3 3 3

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 5 1 2 3 4 5

Adrian Voinea ROM 5 6 77 6
vs. Match Statistics
David Sanchez ESP 7 2 65 2

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 6 1 2 3 4 5

Nicolas Massu CHI 4 :sad:
vs. Match Statistics Retired
Jonas Bjorkman SWE 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 6 1 2 3 4 5

Paradorn Srichaphan THA 1 1 4
vs. Match Statistics
Guillermo Canas ARG(12) 6 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 7 1 2 3 4 5

Lars Burgsmuller GER 6 6 3 3 5
vs. Match Statistics
Dominik Hrbaty SVK 3 2 6 6 7

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 7 1 2 3 4 5

Taylor Dent USA 6 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Michal Tabara CZE 2 1 2

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 8 1 2 3 4 5

Max Mirnyi BLR 6 3 4 3
vs. Match Statistics
Kristian Pless DEN 3 6 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 8 1 2 3 4 5

Tommy Robredo ESP(32) 65 6 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Michael Russell USA 77 3 3 4

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 10 1 2 3 4 5

Martin Lee GBR 63 1 0
vs. Match Statistics
Francisco Clavet ESP 77 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 10 1 2 3 4 5

Cyril Saulnier FRA 6 6 66 4 6
vs. Match Statistics
Stefan Koubek AUT 0 1 78 6 8

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 11 1 2 3 4 5

Ramon Delgado PAR 7 65 4 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Albert Montanes ESP 5 77 6 4 1

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 11 1 2 3 4 5

Nikolay Davydenko RUS 1 4 6 4
vs. Match Statistics
Markus Hipfl AUT 6 6 3 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 13 1 2 3 4 5

Ivo Heuberger SUI 4 2 6 61
vs. Match Statistics
Hicham Arazi MAR(22) 6 6 4 77

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 13 1 2 3 4 5

Jiri Vanek CZE 3 3 3
vs. Match Statistics
Younes El Aynaoui MAR(21) 6 6 6

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 18 1 2 3 4 5

Andrea Gaudenzi ITA 1 6 7 6
vs. Match Statistics
Richard Fromberg AUS 6 0 5 3

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 18 1 2 3 4 5

Thomas Enqvist SWE(24) 2 6 6 6
vs. Match Statistics
Nicolas Thomann FRA 6 3 1 2

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 19 1 2 3 4 5

Thomas Johansson SWE(16) 6 3 77 6
vs. Match Statistics
Jacobo Diaz ESP 1 6 62 4

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 19 1 2 3 4 5

Andreas Vinciguerra SWE(31) 6 6 77
vs. Match Statistics
Federico Luzzi ITA 2 2 63

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 21 1 2 3 4 5

Sargis Sargsian ARM 1 3 65
vs. Match Statistics
Fernando Gonzalez CHI 6 6 77 :happy:

Men's Singles - 1st Round - Court 21 1 2 3 4 5

Kenneth Carlsen DEN 6 6 4 4 8
vs. Match Statistics
Fernando Vicente ESP 2 2 6 6 10

Euan

January 14th, 2002, 22:57

Who will win the 2002 Australian Open men’s singles championship?

Lleyton Hewitt
1%
Andre Agassi
3%
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
3%
Tim Henman
12%
Pete Sampras
3%
Andy Roddick
78%

13360 votes have been submitted

I found this poll at www.ausopen.org and found the results to be amazing, i'm an a-rod fan and it looks as though there are many others.

paw

January 15th, 2002, 02:14

From Auz Open Website:

The Fate of Two Former Champions
Monday, 14 January, 2002
by Joe Cettolin

Surprisingly, Monica Seles and Mary Pierce are considered veterans of the WTA tour at ages 28 and 26 respectively. Both are multiple Australian Open winners but today the two champions experienced opposite fates. Seles coasted into the second round while Pierce was forced to retire with an unexpected abdominal injury.

Four time Australian Open champion and tenth seed Monica Seles spent no time dispatching the unorthodox Patty Schnyder 6-1 6-2 in her first round match on Vodafone Arena today. Having played and beaten Schnyder twice before, today crowd favourite Seles made it a hat trick. Schnyder's inability to capitalise on break-point opportunities made for Seles' quick path to the locker rooms.

In her post-match press conference Seles sung the praises of a reduced schedule in the lead-up to the Australian Open this year. "I had such a great time in Perth last year (at the Hopman Cup) so I decided to do that again and just try to save all my energy and do the best that I can for these next two weeks.

"I think it was too much playing singles and doubles. We see girls at 20 (years old) getting injured, and for me at my age I just have to focus on singles."

The American made no secret of her love for Australia, adding that it had nothing to do with her unbelievable success rate at the Open: "I really enjoy my time here. I have a lot of family and friends, so it makes it more special. I try not to pick a place I like or not on the basis of how I do.

"But Australia is one of the great places I really look forward to coming back to every year, play or not play," said the No.8 seed, who looks to make an impact in her section of the draw, following ninth seed Sandrine Testud's premature defeat earlier today.

From the other side of the tracks, wildcard recipient, Mary Pierce, saw only four games on the court before curtseying out to American Jill Craybas, 0-4. The two-time champion who did not drop a set on her way to an Australian Open victory in 1997 was plagued by spinal injuries in 2001 causing her ranking to plummet to 131.

Today, it was a new problem that forced the popular Frenchwoman out. An abdominal strain was the cause of constant interruptions to Pierce's serving action which she later explained was a possible result of her body reacting to lack of match practice. Pierce called the trainer during the first game of the match, when serving at 40-40. "It was impossible for me to serve, to stretch, lift my arm up like I normally would do in a service action." Pierce left the court for treatment (taping) which proved ineffective on her return.

Despite having reached the third round or better at Melbourne Park for the past five years an inconsolable Pierce eventually withdrew from the match. Fans will be disappointed and Mary will be unable to display one of the brave new outfits she is renowned for here at the Open.
---

Guess the times has changed. Seles and Pierce are the last of the breed of players from the Graf era. :(

paw;)

paw

January 15th, 2002, 02:17

Originally posted by Euan
Andy Roddick 78%

13360 votes have been submitted

I found this poll at www.ausopen.org and found the results to be amazing, i'm an a-rod fan and it looks as though there are many others.

This is surprising. Considering how big Hewitt is these days in his home country, Andy is the favourite, fans' at least, to win the Oz Open. 78%? Even Sampras in his hey-days did not get that kind of support.:)

paw;) ;)

Don Vito

January 15th, 2002, 07:27

2. Men's Singles - 1st Rnd.
Pete Sampras (USA)[8] def. Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) 6/3 6/3 6/4

sampras winning again...i think he does not have the thing to wim it this time though.......but hoping he can start this year with somewin under his belt.....and this looks good cause agassi is out with an wrist injury and hewitt not looking good against martin who is playing well now...the match is still in progress......and the sadest thing is that kournikova is out..........wont be able to see her anymore........why cant she play a bit better.......

real fan

January 15th, 2002, 09:52

Wat?? Agassi (2nd seed) and Kuerten (3rd seed) were out and now Hewitt?? i am :eek: !

Don Vito

January 15th, 2002, 10:47

oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. first kuerten and now hewitt......man what a day for me..... well kurten he never went past the second round in his last 6 aus open tournaments...... but hewitt he was so good that i thought that he would win it here also....but agassi might have got the injury by playing sampras ( where he was betaen my pete)...... he must aggrevated any past injury in that final...........

gOD

January 15th, 2002, 10:54

Henin kicked Kournikova out 6-2 out 7-5 :cool:

colocolo

January 15th, 2002, 11:31

Sampras Through
Pete Sampras, the consummate professional, made quick and painless work of young hopeful Jarkko Nieminen on the Vodafone Arena in one hour and 38 minutes, 6-3 6-3 6-4. The Federer Glow
Shining star Roger Federer defeated Michael Chang in first round action under an open-roofed Rod Laver Arena, winning 6-4 6-4 6-3 on Tuesday.
Kournikova Bows to Henin
Anna Kournikova's Grand Slam drought continued today, the Russian bowing in straight sets to No.6 seed Justin Henin in her round one match on the Vodafone Arena.
Mark Turns the Tide
The best was saved for last. Minutes before midnight, Mark Philippoussis turned the tide for Australia on Day One by powering past Spaniard Galo Blanco 6-3 6-4 7-5.

:glasses:

Steph!

January 15th, 2002, 11:38

Originally posted by gOD
Henin kicked Kournikova out 6-2 out 7-5 :cool:

Sure I expected nothing less from Justine ! :tongue:
She'll go far andso will Kim !!

By the men Philippoussis is awesome !!!!
In the absence of Rafter, I'll go for him !!! :)

Adriano

January 15th, 2002, 13:33

A bitter Lleyton Hewitt has become the first No.1 seed at the Australian Open to lose in the first round after bowing out 1-6 6-1 6-4 7-6 (7-4) to Spain’s Alberto Martin.
Not even a record Melbourne Park crowd of 42,915 could help Hewitt through a marathon fourth set that lasted 96 minutes. But the world No.1 was highly critical of Martin's decision to seek medical attention for a thigh problem while leading 5-4 in the tie-break.

"I think it's a shocker what happened at 5-4," Hewitt said. "You can read into it what you like.

"But you'll never know if I would have got out of the situation anyway."

The Australian said he would not make a formal complaint, but he pointed the finger at tennis officials who he said had stood and allowed Martin to take unfair advantage of the situation.

"Someone's got to put their balls on the line or they'll take advantage of it like they did today," Hewitt said.

Martin dismissed suggestions his actions were unsporting after Hewitt was earlier in a similar situation but waited until the change of serve for treatment.

"The rules are the rules and the rules are fair," Martin said. "I didn't do anything against the rules."

Hewitt said he was struggling physically as early as the end of the first set and would not have played this week if it wasn't a grand slam event.

"I'm not as disappointed as I have been in other matches because I knew when I went out there I wasn't 100 per cent," he said. "I was struggling out there. I thought I hit the ball pretty cleanly but I wasn't on my game as much."

There were certainly no signs of fitness problems for Hewitt when he strolled through the first set 6-1 in only 31 minutes. But as the game wore on and Martin stormed back to go one set up, Hewitt’s lack of court time in recent weeks showed and the odds were always against him in the energy-sapping fourth set.

But this is not to say Hewitt didn't have his chances after converting just six of 19 break-point chances for the game.

Hewitt also lacked his normal consistency, committing 66 unforced errors, while Martin was not much better with 57.

A clay court specialist, Martin is making his fifth successive appearance at the Open and only progressed beyond the first round for the first time last year.

Hewitt's loss means that Mark Philippoussis is the only Australian man to advance to the second round of the men's singles.

The news was a little brighter in the women’s draw with three players – Nicole Pratt, Bryanne Stewart and Cindy Watson – advancing to the second round.

Pratt came from one set down to beat Hungary’s Zsofia Gubacsi 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 6-3.

The Queensland-born Pratt, now a resident of Florida, is competing in her 12th Australian Open with her best result being making the third round in 1999.

World No.127 Stewart progressed for the second time in four Open appearances after a 6-4 6-4 win against Canada’s Jana Nejedly.

23-year-old Cindy Watson is through to her first Open second round after a 6-3 6-3 win against Spain’s Maria Jose Martinez.

In the men’s draw, wildcard Todd Reid came close to gaining some Davis Cup revenge at Melbourne Park when he took the first set off France’s Nicolas Escude before eventually losing 1-6 6-1 6-4 6-4.

Escude was the hero for France during last December’s Davis Cup final when he defeated Hewitt and Wayne Arthurs in the singles rubbers to secure the trophy.

Reid at 17 years and seven months was the youngest player in the men’s draw and was awarded a wildcard entry as one of Australia’s leading juniors.

Chile’s Marcelo Rios won his first game at the Australian Open since finishing runner-up in 1998 when he beat another Australian wildcard Jaymon Crabb 6-2 6-0 5-7 6-4.

The former world No.1 lost the final to Petr Korda in 1998 and then missed the 1999 and 2000 due to injury before losing in the first round last year.

Rios finished in the top 40 for the seventh successive year in 2001 and has a seven-year ATP title-winning streak, which is the second best on tour behind Yevgeny Kafelnikov (eight years).

In a scrappy match, Rios committed 63 unforced errors, while Crabb had 46.

The 23-year-old Crabb was playing in his second Australian Open and only his second match at tour level after winning a wildcard into the 1997 Open.

Ranked 248 in the world, Crabb failed to qualify for the Open in 1996, 1999 and 2000.

There were also several losses in the women’s draw with Amanda Grahame, Rachel McQuillan and Alicia Molik all bowing out early on day two, before Christina Wheeler fell in the night session on centre court.

Molik blew three match points in a marathon third set to lose to Russian Tatiana Panova 1-6 6-3 10-8.

The South Australian looked to be on her way to a morale-boosting victory against the No.29 seed after cruising through the first set in 30 minutes. However, Panova bounced back in the second set and escaped with the win in the 78-minute third set.

"I could put my head down, go straight to transport and grab a car and forget about stretching and forget about talking with my coach," Molik said. "But I'm not really going to get anything out of that."

"I don't think I'll carry today's loss into tomorrow if I play doubles and it's probably good that I can do that. I won't sit in the corner of the changeroom and cry endlessly over a match, that's just the type of person I am."

McQuillan took the first set off No.24 seed Ai Sugiyama, of Japan, but fell away to eventually lose 6-7 6-3 6-3. McQuillan has progressed to the second round at the Open only once in the past eight years.

Grahame lost her first round clash against Spain’s Magui Serna 6-3 6-3.

The Canberra local enjoyed one of her best weeks when she made last week’s semi-final of the Canberra Women’s Classic. Grahame, the world No.220, received a wildcard into this year’s tournament but again failed to go beyond the first round in her third Australian Open.

And Wheeler posed no threat to Hewitt's girlfriend Kim Clijsters, who needed just 15 games to progress to the second round. Clijsters won the match 6-2 6-1 to at least ensure Hewitt has some reason to follow the action at Melbourne Park a little longer.

Eric0815

January 15th, 2002, 18:46

Hewitt is out!:D Gimme a Hell Yeah:D :tongue: :D

Claudia_Du

January 15th, 2002, 19:01

For Sampras it's good that Hewitt is out, right.:D;)

Now I'm waiting for the defeat of Martina Hingis....:eek: :cool:

Steph!

January 15th, 2002, 20:42

Originally posted by Claudia_Du
Now I'm waiting for the defeat of Martina Hingis....:eek: :cool:

Sorry Claudia but Hingis will go far believe me !!
She's really playing well and she doesn't have a very difficult draw !

colocolo

January 15th, 2002, 23:13

Hingis Rulesz !!!!! :heart: At least deep inside me insides !!!!!:howler:

Eric0815

January 16th, 2002, 01:34

To be honest I cant stand Hingis. She seems to be very arrogant and doesnt know much about sportsmanship. On the other hand, she is in some way pretty hot. I dont know exactly what it is cause obviously she doesnt look good...but damn the girl is hot. It's amazing. I always want to lose her but on the other hand I like to watch her playing.

Steph!

January 16th, 2002, 01:44

I agree with you Eric,
she looks dislikable sometimes with her attitude but she's still damn hot !! There's something about her !
Btw - I asked several times but nobody answered!!! Has Hingis changed physically !?? She looks more muscular, don't you think ?? Or do I have visions !?... :)

Eric0815

January 16th, 2002, 01:47

I agree about her having more muscle now. The likes of Williams, Davenport and Capriati outgunned her last year, so she had to do something about her power.

paw

January 16th, 2002, 07:01

Updated scores on Day 3:

Completed:
Men's Singles - 2nd Rnd.
Greg Rusedski (GBR)[28] def. Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 7-6(9-7) 6-3 6-4
Tim Henman (GBR)[6] def. Vladimir Voltchkov (BLR) 6-3 6-4 6-1
Francisco Clavet (ESP) def. Sebastien Grosjean (FRA)[5] 6-4 3-6 6-0 5-7 6-4
Younes El Aynaoui (MAR)[21] def. Fernando Vicente (ESP) 4-6 6-3 6-3 6-3
Kristian Pless (DEN) def. Hicham Arazi (MAR)[22] 6-3 6-4 6-1

Women's Singles - 2nd Rnd.
Monica Seles (USA)[8] def. Cara Black (ZIM) 6-1 6-1
Martina Hingis (SUI)[3] def. Greta Arn (GER) 6-1 6-2
Amanda Coetzer (RSA)[15] def. Rossana Neffa-De Los Rios (PAR) 6-3 6-1

In progress:
Men's Singles - 2nd Rnd.
Alex Kim (USA) leads Yevgeny Kafelnikov (RUS)[4] 6-3

Women's Doubles - 1st Rnd.
Kim Clijsters (BEL)/Ai Sugiyama (JPN)[4] leads Mariana Diaz-Oliva (ARG)/Katalin Marosi-Aracama (HUN) 5-1(1st set)

Other games today:
Men's Singles - 2nd Rnd.
Jerome Golmard (FRA) vs. Goran Ivanisevic (CRO)[10]
Thomas Enqvist (SWE)[24] vs. Jonas Bjorkman (SWE)

Women's Singles - 2nd Rnd.
Kristina Brandi (USA) vs. Venus Williams (USA)[2]
Nuria Llagostera Vives (ESP) vs. Barbara Schett (AUT)[17]

Men's Doubles - 1st Rnd.
Scott Draper (AUS)/Ben Ellwood (AUS) vs. Wayne Black (ZIM)/Kevin Ullyett (ZIM)[5]
---

The Men's 5th seed Sebastien Grosjean is out, having lost to Clavet. With the departure of the top three seeds by Day 2, the tournament's highest seed left is Kafelnikov, who is now trailing at the moment. Who knows, by the end of today, the highest seed could be Henman, and the tournament is only 3 days old.:)

paw;)

Don Vito

January 16th, 2002, 08:25

Hingis has a weak serve and she wont be able to compete with that serve...... so she has got to develop her serve and her whole play as a matter of fact .........cause the girls mentioned above are way more powerful than she is...........and devenport has improved a lot ...she has come a long way.......she really did pick her game up......Hingis need to build up some muscle in order to survive.......the williams sister are too powerful for hingis.......

Don Vito

January 16th, 2002, 08:29

the asussies looks like in a mess.......first hewitt got out and now phillipusis........

paw

January 16th, 2002, 08:47

Now the Men's fourth seed is out.:(

From BBCSport
Wednesday, 16 January, 2002, 04:55 GMT
Kim crushes Kafelnikov

American qualifier Alex Kim has defeated fourth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov in straight sets in the second round of the Australian Open.

Kim, ranked 234 in the world, shocked the Russian by winning 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.

Kafelnikov is Wednesday's second high-profile casualty after fifth seed Sebastien Grosjean was beaten in a five-set thriller by Francisco Clavet.

These results mean that the top five men's seeds are all out of the tournament, theoretically, leaving sixth seed Tim Henman in a good position.

Kafelnikov couldn't get in the game and made an astonishing 55 unforced errors.

The American won when Kafelnikov hit a tame backhand into the net on the first match point.

Grosjean, who reached the semi-finals last year, fought back from 4-1 down in the fifth set before slumping 6-4 3-6 6-0 5-7 6-4 in a big-hitting baseline battle.

He saved one match point by making a rare foray to the net and Clavet lobbed long, but the 33-year-old sealed victory with a smash a point later.

The young American Taylor Dent also caused a something of an upset when he beat the number 31 seed Andreas Vinciguerra.

The 20-year-old defeated the Swede in straight sets 6-3 6-4 6-2.

Earlier on Wednesday, Sweden's Thomas Johansson progressed to round three with a straight sets win over Austria's Markus Hipfl.

The number 16 seed triumphed 6-4 6-1 6-4.
---
Tim Henman has a good chance to win here. But it also sets up a simpler path for Sampras as well. Only Tommy Haas is seeded above Sampras in his half of the draw, but he has to get past Safin first in the 3rd round, if both of them reaches there.;)

paw:tongue:

Steph!

January 16th, 2002, 11:05

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: Fùùùùùck !!!!!!!!!!!! Philippoussis is out !!!!
:dazed: :depress:

colocolo

January 16th, 2002, 11:06

Men's Draw...All top 5 Seeds have gone home !!! :mute:

Sun Shines on Seles and Hingis
No.8 seed Monica Seles and third seed Martina Hingis hold seven Australian Open titles between them. On Wednesday the pair looked cool under sunny skies, posting resounding victories over Cara Black and Greta Arn respectively.

:cool:

colocolo

January 16th, 2002, 12:41

Una espectacular victoria en la segunda ronda del Abierto de Australia consiguió esta madrugada fernando González. El tenista chileno, que en la primera ronda había aplastado al armenio Sargis Sargsian (69 ATP), esta vez derrotó a un jugador aún mejor clasificado: el español Tommy Robredo, 32 del mundo.

Lo más notable es que González no tuvo inconvenientes para superar a su emergente rival, al que venció en tres sets por 6-2, 6-4 y 6-4. Es decir, el jugador nacional aún no pierde un set.

En tercera etapa, el chileno se verá las caras con otro jugador que proviene de la qualy: el estadounidense Alex Kim, quien dio la gran sorpresa al vencer al ruso Yevgueni Kafelnikov.

My chilean pertner here..Fernando Gonzalez won in the second round after defeating Spaniard Tommy Robredo #32 in the worlds ranking 6-2 6-4 6-4 ...The chileno (Forza Chilenos wherever you might be) will meet in the 3rd Round US National Alex Kim, the player who eliminated Y Kafelnikow !!

:happy:

gOD

January 16th, 2002, 16:54

Originally posted by stephañho
I agree with you Eric,
she looks dislikable sometimes with her attitude but she's still damn hot !!

It's that little arrogant smile that makes here irresistable :excited:

Steph!

January 16th, 2002, 17:01

Originally posted by gOD
It's that little arrogant smile that makes here irresistable :excited:

Most definitely Geert !!! ;)

Btw - I'm happy she has long hair now coz the short black hair from 2 years ago was awful !!!

colocolo

January 17th, 2002, 11:20

Carrying the Flag
There are two Aussies left to carry the flag after the fourth day of tennis at Melbourne Park. Nicole Pratt and Cindy Watson made it through their second round matches, on a breezy summer's day. A third Aussie, Bryanne Stewart, was knocked out.Clijsters to Meet Aussie Next
Belgian No.4 seed Kim Clijsters set up a third round meeting with Australian wildcard Cindy Watson with a 6-1 6-1 victory over Austrian Barbara Schwartz in 48 minutes on Thursday.

;) ;) ;)

Adriano

January 17th, 2002, 11:21

Pete Sampras restored some sanity at the Australian Open after the injury curse struck again with exciting youngster Andy Roddick twisting his ankle.
The No.8 seed survived a lapse in the third set to beat Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela 6-3 7-5 3-6 6-4 to become one of the few men’s seeds progressing to the third round.

Sampras, Australian Open champion in 1994 and 1997, needed five sets to beat Chela in last year's Australian Open and said he had expected another tough match.

"He's a strong player and I have a lot of respect for him," Sampras said. "I didn't serve really well but he made me work, it was tough."

Unfortunately, 19-year-old Roddick was trailing Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 3-2 when he withdrew after initially sustaining the injury chasing down a ball during the first set tie-break. The American No.13 seed twisted the same right ankle in his first match against Argentine Mariano Zabaleta on Tuesday.

The injury was the latest blow to the tournament, which has already suffered a horrific loss of big names just four days into the event.

Another seed who made his exit was last year’s finalist Arnaud Clement, beaten in four sets by Argentina’s Gaston Gaudio. The 15th seed Frenchman, who has been desperately out of form in recent months, succumbed to Gaudio 4-6 6-4 6-2 7-6 (7-3).

But it wasn’t all bad news, with seventh seed Tommy Haas and ninth seed Marat Safin also bucking the trend to win through to the third round.

Haas demolished Frenchman Jean-Francois Bachelot 6-1 6-2 6-3 and with the Australian Open field wide open after the amazing events of the first three days the German looms as one of the favourites to take the title.

Former US Open champion Safin is one of only three players left in the field along with Sampras and Carlos Moya to have won a Grand Slam and the Russian also looked in fine form as he dismissed Belgium’s Christophe Rochus.

Safin breezed through the first set before Rochus forced a tie-break in the second, but that’s where the Belgian’s challenge ended. After Safin won the tie-break 8-6 he then crushed Rochus in the third to prevail 6-2 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.

Adriano

January 17th, 2002, 11:22

American sensation Andy Roddick made a painful exit from his first Australian Open on Thursday, a sprained right ankle forcing him to default his second round match. The No.13 seed pulled out while trailing 6-7(11) 2-3 against Croat Ivan Ljubicic.

On his set point at 8-7 in the first set tiebreak, the 19-year-old Roddick jarred the ankle while chasing down a wide forehand. It was the same ankle he twisted Tuesday night in his first round win against Mariano Zabaleta. The ankle was taped for today's match and Roddick played freely before reinjuring it. He blasted 213km/h serves and delighted fans with his explosive, whole-hearted style of play. At the end, he won just two fewer points than his opponent.

Roddick, the 2000 Australian Open junior champion and semi finalist in Sydney last week, was clearly the crowd favourite on a packed Vodafone Arena bathed in sunshine. Plenty had hoped to see him progress to a possible quarter final showdown with all-time great Pete Sampras.

No one of course was more disappointed than Roddick himself. "I'm pretty crushed right now," he confirmed. In five Grand Slam appearances, this is the second time Roddick has pulled out with physical woes. In the French Open last June, a strained hamstring forced him to retire in the third round against Lleyton Hewitt. He has sprained ankles "three or four times" in the last six months. Roddick also underwent arthroscopic knee surgery less than two years ago.

"I'm running out of answers," said the young giant. "My body felt pretty good here. I felt like I was in good shape. I had worked really hard in the off-season, getting in shape and building my body up to avoid injuries. I'm sick of it and fed up with it. I want to find a long-term solution."

But there's little time for that before the Davis Cup first round on February 8-10. Roddick, who made his Cup debut last year and won all three matches, says the next few days will determine whether he'll be in Oklahoma City to face the Slovak team.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Ljubicic moves into the third round of a Grand Slam for the first time in his career. Having survived three match points in the first round against Czech Bohdan Ulihrach, he next faces South African veteran Wayne Ferreira.

Adriano

January 17th, 2002, 11:37

And I must agree Hingis is ****ing hot :drool: and she has beefed up she has very nice legs now :horny:

Adriano

January 17th, 2002, 11:39

And Forza all the Italian girls :cool:

They're doing quite well, there's a few in the 3rd round.

And particularly Forza Francesca Schiavone against Seles tomorrow. Schiavone has already beaten Seles earlier this month at the Hopman Cup in 3 thrilling sets so she has a good chance :cool: :drool:

colocolo

January 17th, 2002, 15:11

Marcelo Rios (Sourpuss)Beats Karol Kucera 7-6 (7-5), 7-5 y 6-2 Advancing to the 3rd Round ..

;)

Abdul

January 18th, 2002, 08:24

Looks like Pete is doing alright

colocolo

January 18th, 2002, 11:42

Fernando González (179 World Ranking) beats Alex Kim , 6-2, 6-2, 6-3, In 1 hr 30 min ...To advance to the 4th Round of The Aussie Open ...

:) :) :) :)

Adriano

January 18th, 2002, 12:32

Desperate local fans clinging to the fortunes of Taylor Dent were finally put out of their misery when Romanian Adrian Voinea knocked him out of the Australian Open.
With no local men remaining in the tournament, Australian die-hards were hoping that the American-born son of former Australian Davis Cup player Phil could give local hopes a boost.

It was not to be. The feisty Romanian, the world No.97, dropped the first set, but on the back of a booming forehand outlasted Dent in five sets 3-6 6-3 6-4 3-6 6-3.

And in the aftermath of Lleyton Hewitt’s withdrawal from next month’s Davis Cup tie against Argentina, Dent again confirmed his unavailability for Australia and the United States for that matter.

Dent has attracted the interest of both Australian and US Davis Cup officials, and while leaning towards playing for the US does not intend to make a decision for several months.

“Even if I had decided to play for Australia, I couldn’t … my back is begging to be fixed," Dent said of the injury sustained in the latter stages of last season.

In an incredibly tight match, Dent actually won more points, 139 to 138, but Voinea made the big points count. He also had 31 forehand winners to Dent’s five.

The big-serving Dent will be rueing several missed chances. He converted only three of his 10 break point chances and failed to capitalise with the volley despite visiting the net 154 times.

This is Voinea’s best performance in seven Australian Opens, eclipsing his effort in 2000 when he lost in the third round to Lleyton Hewitt.

Veteran Jonas Bjorkman gave his army of Swedish supporters plenty to cheer about with a straight sets victory against No.12 seed Argentine Guillermo Canas.

Bjorkman, who is making his 34th successive appearance in a Grand Slam event and ninth at the Australian Open, is through to the fourth round for the first time since 1997.

"I was once No.4 in the world and I want to get close to that again," he said. "I want to prove to myself that I can get back on top."

Bjorkman’s victory should be enough to win Swedish selection for the Davis Cup first round tie against Great Britain in Birmingham next month

Czech Jiri Novak, the No.26 seed, is into his first Australian Open fourth round after a 6-3 6-4 6-1 win against Spain’s Francisco Clavet.

The Spaniard defeated 2001 semi-finalist Sebastien Grosjean in the second round, but was outclassed by Novak, who is making his sixth appearance.

American qualifier Alex Kim, the man who defeated No.4 seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the second round, lost to Chilean qualifier Fernando Gonzalez 6-2 6-2 6-3.

Austria’s Stefan Koubek has equalled his best result at a Grand Slam by making the fourth round after a 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 6-3 win against Denmark’s Kristian Pless.

The win was Koubek’s easiest of the tournament after he was twice forced to come back from two sets to love down to reach the third round.

And Slovakian Domink Hrbaty, a fan of former great Ivan Lendl, wore a Lendl-style legionaire hat during his match and outlasted Frenchman Jerome Golmard 6-3 6-1 6-7 (6-8) 7-5.

Golmard had earlier beaten Australia's Wayne Arthurs and Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, but was no match for Hrbaty who produced a dour, unspectacular performance to get through to the next round.

Adriano

January 18th, 2002, 12:36

Schiavone lost to Seles today, but Seles had to fight for it.

Schiavone destryoed Seles in the first set. She was leading 4-2 and had a break point to go to 5-2 but she couldn't convert and Seles won the first 6-4.

Then at 1-0 in the second Schiavone had another break point to go 2-0 up but she missed it, and Seles wrapped that set up 6-4

So it was 6-4 6-4 to Seles, but Schiavone is gonna be a star in the next few years :cool:

Adriano

January 19th, 2002, 04:47

Rios just won by 3 sets to 0 over Alberto Martin, the guy who beat Hewitt.

It was 5-6 in the 3rd set and Rios was serving at 0-40 and he didn't even try for that point and was gonna give up the set, but he still won.

Also, on a Martin serve he completely turned his body around and was not facing the ball and hit a shot which Martin could only put into the net.

colocolo, I think he is a real chance this year

Adriano

January 19th, 2002, 06:30

After progressing to the fourth round, Chilean Marcelo Rios has fired a shot at women’s tennis, describing it as a “joke”.
Rios was too good for Spaniard Alberto Martin, the man who sent Lleyton Hewitt crashing out on Tuesday, winning 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-3).

But when asked about his chances of going on to win the title he lost in the final at Melbourne Park four years ago, Rios instead chose to launch a scathing attack on the women’s game.

"I always say that men's tennis is too tough," Rios said. "It's not like girls where they win one and love until they're in the quarters.

"Yesterday I saw a match - Hingis and, I don't know, a German girl (Barbara Rittner) - that was 6-0 6-1 and that starts the fourth round.

"It's like a joke and in men's that's not going to happen - everyone is tough."

Rios, who spent a short time as the world No.1 back in 1998, claims to have matured since then, but these latest comments will have some questioning whether how true that is.

One of the highlights of his match against Martin was one of the most extraordinary ever seen on a tennis court, coming in the 11th game of the third set.

With Martin serving, Rios spun 360 degrees and hit a backhand with his back turned to his opponent. Amazingly, the ball fell in and the point went to Rios.

"I couldn't reach the other way - I didn't have any chance to put it away the other side," Rios said. "You do it and you haven't got time to enjoy it, you just go to the next point.

"But I get to see it on TV, when they put it in points of the day I'm going to enjoy it."

The erratic Chilean had 41 winners to Martin's 18 as he dominated the first two sets. But Martin had his chances in the third.

He held three set points but could not convert, with Rios' whip-like forehand saving him time and time again.

Rios will now play Ecuadorian No. 23 seed Nicolas Lapentti, who came from two sets to love down to beat Argentina’s Gaston Gaudio in five sets, 4-6 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-4.

With the match lasting a little more than four hours, the pair traded plenty of unforced errors – Lapentti made 63 to Gaudio’s 66 – and Lapentti hit slightly more winners with 66 to Gaudio’s 52.

And Switzerland’s Roger Federer, the No.11 seed, took just over two hours to send German Rainer Schuettler packing. Federer grabbed the first two sets in tie-breakers, and went on to win 7-6 (8-6) 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Federer will next meet the winner of today’s match between American Todd Martin and Germany’s Tommy Haas.

Adriano

January 19th, 2002, 06:33

Capriati is currently 1 set all against the Greek Daniilidou

real fan

January 19th, 2002, 06:48

Henman is on a good run as well.. :D

Don Vito

January 19th, 2002, 07:34

one think isvery surprising to see all the seeded player going oput very cheaply n the first rung of this open some of them had to retire because of injury. so this makes on thig very clear sampras maight take his 14th grand slam in his bag..

laoer

January 19th, 2002, 10:40

who's like to take care of the poor out-of-dated tennis fan to tell me where Juan Ferrero is?:tongue: i spent a little time to check the whole playerlist without finding his name.he drop out before open? or im careless not to find his name who's beaten in the early round?

anyway,give me some clues.

thx;)

laoer

January 19th, 2002, 11:02

Originally posted by stephañho
Yeah too bad Ferroro won't be playing in the Aussie Open !! :depress:
Well he shouldn't be too dissapointed tough as hardcourt isn't his surface of predilection !! I don't think he would have gone far anyway !! Quarter at most !!

I expect him too be stronger than ever in the next Roland-Garros where only Kuerten seems able to match the pace of the Spaniard youngster !! That's gonna be hot !!!!

Forza Ferrero ! :)

oh,thx.i just noticed the post.:)

hum...do you know why he hasnt joined.for some unexpected reasons?

i wanna he in to get more experience on the non-clay.he should be all-round before become another star.

i admit this line " a tennis palyer king in clay annually will not be remembered after retirement".

colocolo

January 19th, 2002, 14:06

Copyright © 2002 AP Online

By PHIL BROWN, Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Australia (January 19, 2002 12:48 AM EST)

Marcelo Rios flustered Alberto Martin with a behind-the-back service return, a crucial underhand volley and steady play Saturday in the third round of the Australian Open.

Rios, the former top-ranked player who had not reached a Grand Slam tournament's round of 16 since the 1999 U.S. Open, kept Martin on the run in a 6-4, 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory.
Marcelo Rios returns the ball during his center court match against Alberto Martin Saturday at the Australian Open.
AP Photo/Rick Stevens

Roger Federer, seeded 11th but now the No. 5 player in the field after a rash of early injuries and upsets, defeated Germany's Rainer Schuettler 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 6-4.

In women's play, No. 4 Kim Clijsters, last year's French Open runner-up, beat Australian wild-card entry Cindy Watson 6-1, 6-2.

Martin, who ousted top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt in the first round, was threatening a comeback in the third set.

He managed to hold serve for 6-5 lead despite a stunning return by Rios, who was leaning the wrong way, spun around and accidentally blocked the ball with the racket behind his back. Martin rushed in for the short return but hit a forehand into the net.

"I've got to see that on TV tonight," Rios said.

In the next game, Rios saved three set points to reach 6-6.

In the tiebreaker, he gained match point with a two-hand, underhand reflex volley when Martin blasted a backhand at his feet from short range. He won when Martin netted a forehand serve return.

Rios was the 1998 Australian Open runner-up to Petr Korda, but has been set back by a series of injuries. He had surgery on his left ankle surgery last June.

After a week of cool weather, hot summer temperatures returned to Melbourne Saturday, and Rios said he was tired and in danger of cramping.

"I think I played pretty good at the important moments," he said. "I'm not hitting the ball as clean as I used to, and I'm missing more than I used to, but my game is more mature."

Compatriot Fernando Gonzalez, a qualifier, also has reached the fourth round, and Rios was asked about the possibility of an all-Chilean final.

"That's what we're looking for," he said. :excited::happy::howler:

Germany's Marlene Weingartner, who never before had gone beyond the third round of a Grand Slam event, advanced to the fourth round by upsetting No. 10 Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.

Weingartner broke serve in the eighth game of the final set and then served out the match with two aces, a forehand winner and a forehand miss by Shaughnessy, who walked off and hurled her racket down in disgust.

Shaughnessy gave Weingartner 10 break chances in the final set, and she converted two of them.

Claudia_Du

January 19th, 2002, 14:13

And it seems Pete Sampras is on his way too. Right now he is leading 2 sets to 1 vs. Nicoals Escude from France.

Eric0815

January 19th, 2002, 15:16

Sampras vs Escude goes to a fifth set now. Sampras was 6-3 up in the tiebreak of the fourth set but he wasted all his three matchpoints. I have the feeling that his will give Escude a boost which leads him to victory. Will be pretty difficult for Pete now but I still hope he can do it.

Steph!

January 19th, 2002, 15:39

Sampras is gonna win !!!
But I wonder: how come the match wasn't stopped !!??
C'mon it's 1:30 in the morning in Melbourne !!!

Claudia_Du

January 19th, 2002, 15:45

YESSSSSSSSSSSSS!

Sampras just won in 5 sets

7:6 5:7 6:4 6:7(6:8) 6:3

He had 3 matchpoints in the tiebreak of the 4th set btw.

Eric0815

January 19th, 2002, 15:47

Game, Set and Match....SAMPRAS!!!!:)

@Stephano

It's a night session match. Why should they stop it? They have floodlight in the Aussie and US Open. It's pretty annoying when at Wimbledon and Roland Garros matches are stopped due to darkness.

Steph!

January 19th, 2002, 16:11

Sure, Eric, I know !!
But it's not fair to any player to play that late !!!

JamGraffiti

January 19th, 2002, 16:25

Originally posted by stephañho
Sampras is gonna win !!!
But I wonder: how come the match wasn't stopped !!??
C'mon it's 1:30 in the morning in Melbourne !!!

Probably cause we are so used to following sporting events in europe, North America, and sometimes Africa and South America at these times, so i guess at least all the officials and such are immune from fatigue from sleep deprivation :D :yawn: :stuckup:

I wonder what would have happened if the game was still going at 3am :eek:. After all, i remember the Phillipousous - Schalken game at Wimbledon a few years back (during EURO2000 actually) that went for something lie 6 hours :wth: and 20-18 in the 5th set. The game didn't finish until about 5:30am here!!!

colocolo

January 20th, 2002, 06:12

MELBOURNE, Australia (January 19, 2002 04:38 PM EST) - Top-seed Jennifer Capriati of the United States rediscovered her serve in the final set and stormed into the fourth round of the Australian Open.

After recording five double faults to drop the second set, reigning champion Capriati finished the match by winning six straight games on Saturday (Friday in the United States) to post a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 victory over Eleni Daniilidou of Greece.

After Daniilidou earned her fifth service break of the match in the opening game of the final set, Capriati displayed her determination. The 25-year-old recorded two of her five aces and sped through the frame in just 29 minutes.

"It was important for me to pull through this one, especially having a little bit tougher time and having to fight through it," Capriati said. "I came out strong in the third set. This is maybe good for me to have this kind of match."

Capriati won her first Grand Slam title here last year, knocking off three of the top four seeds on the way to the crown. The Floridian went on to win the French Open and became the ninth women in the history of the computer rankings to earn the title of world No. 1.

"I feel pretty strong, maybe just as strong as last year," Capriati said. "I've just had different opponents and different conditions coming in, and the hip thing. But I still feel physically I'm pretty strong and I can hang in there for another week hopefully."

Capriati played the match with bandages strapped around her injured right hip flexor.

The 19-year-old Daniilidou reached the third round in just her third career Grand Slam event. She made her debut at Wimbledon in June.

Capriati's next opponent is No. 20 Rita Grande. The Italian outlasted No. 16 Iroda Tulyaganova of Uzbekistan, 6-3, 5-7, 6-4.

Meanwhile, Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin routed their respective Australian opponents.

The fourth-seeded Clijsters crushed Cindy Watson, 6-1, 6-2, while sixth seed Henin drubbed Nicole Pratt, 6-4, 6-0.

:happy::cool::happy:

real fan

January 20th, 2002, 06:44

Tim Henman was defeated by Jonas Bjorkman :( .. meaning that Tommy Haas is the top seed left. Foolowed by Pete Sampras and Marat Safin

Don Vito

January 20th, 2002, 08:12

i just dont get henman at times . he always looks good at the begining of any grandslams and thus beacome one of the favourties but some how in the 3rd or in the 4th round he gets popped out of the tournament. he realy needs to be more consistant. he is now fareley old to the this sort of situation and been playing grandslams for a long time now. seeing his potentiality he sould have had one grand slam under his name..

he is not justice to his abilty it seems . but what the heck sampras had a tough match the other day . but he finaly made it...

Adriano

January 20th, 2002, 08:24

Another big name has crashed out of the Australian Open with the unseeded Jonas Bjorkman defeating No.6 seed Tim Henman in fourth round action at Melbourne Park.
Sweden’s Bjorkman had little trouble seeing of the challenge of the Briton, winning 6-2 7-6 (8-6) 6-4 to progress through to the quarter finals where he will meet either Swede Thomas Johansson or Romania's Adrian Voinea.

Henman was never allowed to settle into the match with Bjorkman breaking the Englishman’s first three service games.

Henman's demise meant that No.7 Tommy Haas of Germany was the highest ranking men's seed still alive in the grand slam tennis tournament.

Bjorkman won the match on his fifth match point.

Henman had previously beaten countryman Greg Rusedski in a much-hyped third round match.

Earlier, Czechoslovakia’s Jiri Novak became the first player through to the quarter-finals after a four-set victory against Slovakia’s Dominik Hrbaty.

Novak, the No.26 seed, won 6-4 6-2 5-7 6-2.

The Czech is playing in his 23rd Grand Slam and is into the quarter-finals for the first time.

Adriano

January 20th, 2002, 08:27

Eighth seed Pete Sampras has outlasted Nicolas Escude in a 3 hour 50 minute five-setter, to advance to the fourth round of the Australian Open.
In a high quality encounter, Sampras played a few more big points just a little better than the Frenchman, eventually taking the match 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 6-4 6-7 (6-8) 6-3.

However the tough battle is almost certain to take it’s toll on Sampras, whose next opponent is the man who beat him in the 2000 US Open final, ninth-seeded Russian Marat Safin, who cruised through his third round match in straight sets.

The two tiebreakers were typical of the constant ebb and flow of the match, as the two players alternately held the ascendancy and fought for survival on serve.

In the first set decider, Escude led three points to one, before Sampras found a groove and reeled off six of the next eight points.

Then in the fourth set tiebreaker, Sampras was up six points to three with two serves to come, but double faulted on the first match point and then went for broke on the remaining two, allowing the relentless 30th seed to fight back and level the match.

But eventually the class and poise of the 13-time Grand Slam winner told, as he broke a tiring Escude twice to race to a decisive 4-0 lead and, while the Frenchman continued to fight for every point – including saving another three match points when serving at 2-5 and down 0-40 – Sampras’ experience made the difference.

"It was good tennis out there, we both played quite well," Sampras said. "I had my chances, I let it slip away in the fourth ... I rebounded pretty quickly.

"It was a tough match, a really tough match."

Adriano

January 20th, 2002, 08:31

Venus Williams, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis are all through after to the Quarter Finals. Venus will meet Monica I think.

I really favour Sampras now to capture his 14th grand slam, whilst the Williams-Seles clash will be really important.

Adriano

January 20th, 2002, 08:35

Venus Williams and Martina Hingis have cruised into the Australian Open quarter-finals while Monica Seles is also through after opponent Anabel Media Garrigues had to withdraw through injury.
Williams thrashed Magdalena Maleeva 6-0 6-3 while Hingis had an even easier match, thrashing South African Amanda Coetzer 6-1 6-0.

Earlier Spanish teenager Garrigues succumbed to the Australian Open injury curse and withdrew from her fourth round match against Monica Seles.

The Spaniard raced to a 2-0 lead against the four-time champion, but Seles came back strongly to be leading 4-2 when Garrigues’ twisted her knee.

Garrigues attempted to play on twice after treatment, but finally limped off court.

The injury is the latest in a long list at the Open. Even before the tournament began big-name players Andre Agassi and Venus Williams withdrew and since then players have been dropping with alarming regularity.

Garrigues earlier eliminated Czech No.21 seed Daja Bedanova on her way to a career-best fourth round.

The No.8 seed Seles felt for her young opponent.

"It's always bad to see something like this happen," Seles said. "She was probably playing the best tennis of her life."

colocolo

January 20th, 2002, 14:57

Chile's Fdo Gonzalez run comes to a halt !!! :dazed:

Stefan Koubek AUT 7 6 63 6
vs. Match Statistics
Fernando Gonzalez CHI 5 1 77 2 Five set thriller !!! :glasses:

Tigerheart

January 20th, 2002, 15:34

7-5
6-1
6-7
6-2

Looks like 4 sets :D. Btw, since Henman is out did you all realize that Haas is the highest seeded player in the tournament now :o? :D

Steph!

January 20th, 2002, 15:38

yes I did realize !
In the absence of Rafter and Philippoussis I'm 4 Tommy !!!!
Go Tommy Go !!!! :)

Eric0815

January 20th, 2002, 22:20

I think that the winner of Sampras-Safin will win it in the end. Federer is often very nervous when playing the big names and Haas somehow always manages to lose even when in top form.

Tigerheart

January 20th, 2002, 22:33

Originally posted by Eric0815
I think that the winner of Sampras-Safin will win it in the end.

I totally agree with this, that was exactly what I was thinking looking at the draw. And they will meet Björkman in the final. :)

paw

January 21st, 2002, 02:56

And Sampras-Safin will be on later today.:)

paw;)

Abdul

January 21st, 2002, 03:14

it should be agreat game

Adriano

January 21st, 2002, 07:33

I reckon whoever wins the match between Sampras and Safin tonight will win the Australian Open :cool:

Eric0815

January 21st, 2002, 09:09

Tommy Haas survived a matchpoint at 5:6 in the fifth set and went on to beat Roger Federer 7:6 4:6 3:6 6:4 and 8:6.

Steph!

January 21st, 2002, 09:22

:happy: Forza Tommy :star:

real fan

January 21st, 2002, 10:36

Originally posted by King Italy
I reckon whoever wins the match between Sampras and Safin tonight will win the Australian Open :cool:

I hope! ;)

gOD

January 21st, 2002, 11:03

Clijsters and Henin are both through :proud:. Wednesday they meet eachother in the Q-finals. One of them will be eliminated :( , but the othr will go through and play the semi's :) . I think it will be Kim, to me she even, has a chance to win this tournament :hopefull:

colocolo

January 21st, 2002, 12:09

The awaited S American Duel between Rios of Chile and LaPentti of Ecuador ended in favour of the Chilean, nicknamed "Chino"/\

by score of 7-5, 6-1, 6-4.

;)

chivu

January 21st, 2002, 12:13

Sampras is two sets down against Safin.

paw

January 21st, 2002, 12:27

He looks extremely lethargic. Not in his usual self. :(

paw;)

chivu

January 21st, 2002, 13:12

****! Sampras won the third set.

paw

January 21st, 2002, 14:18

This should be from last week:
From BBCSport

Wednesday, 16 January, 2002, 13:43 GMT
Unusual requests down under

BBC Sport Online's Colin Banks provides his view from courtside on day three of the Australian Open.

If we thought the first two days of the Australian Open were action packed and full of extraordinary drama, then day three eclipsed all that had gone before.

Henman on a high

A whole host of statistics have been flying around Melbourne Park after the seeding cull of the first few days.

Perhaps the most important is that Tim Henman is now the highest remaining seed and favourite to reach the final in his half of the draw.

The final is a long way off though with the all British match on Friday against Rusedski and the dangerous floater, 14th seed Guillermo Canas, possibly awaiting next.

One ominous note is that Canas has defeated Henman in their two previous Grand Slam meetings.

Henman also makes history as the first British man to be the highest seed left in a Grand Slam since the great Fred Perry dominated the game in the 1930s.

With Goran Ivanisevic's departure, it also is the first time that all four current Grand Slam Champions - Andre Agassi, Gustavo Kuerten and Lleyton Hewitt are the others - have been eliminated by the second round.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim's unusual request

Now that Anna Kournikova has departed, it seems that Tim Henman has taken over her mantle as an object of desire. He received his most unusual request for an autograph ever today when a fan asked him to sign her bottom.

"I have never been asked to sign there before," he said. "It certainly caught me by surprise.

Henman refused the lady's request for her to remove her shorts before signing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Married bliss

Mark Phillippoussis's departure today must have brought mixed blessings to the Felgate household. David Felgate has been confirmed as Philippoussis's new Agent at IMG, after splitting as Henman's coach last April.

Family ties continue though as Felgate's wife, Jan, continues to act as Henman's agent, also at IMG.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
Injury woes continue
The injury tally continued to grow today with Venus Williams and Andy Roddick adding their names to the list.

Roddick has an ankle injury but is hopeful of continuing, but Venus was involved in one of the strangest matches ever witnessed at Melbourne Park.

Clearly distressed and unable to move properly, she admitted that her knee tendonitis had re-occurred 20 minutes before the match.

Unable to serve properly, she merely popped her serves into court and refused to run for balls that would normally be in reach. Yet she still won comfortably 6-3,6-4, as much due to her opponent Kristina Brandi's inability to make her run.

"I was really fortunate tonight. God blessed me to get through this round. Old pain revisits you at the most inopportune moments," she said afterwards.

"I'm pretty experienced at dealing with injuries, so I'll take it one day at a time and see what happens tomorrow. If I had been playing a top player tonight, the chances of me playing would be very slim."

----------------------------------------------------------------------

British by default?

Venus's next opponent will be Daniela Hantuchova from Slovakia, the promising 18-year-old coached by Britain's Nigel Sears.

With no British women to cheer on, attention switches to the Slovakian who trains in London.

Having already burst into the top 30, a big future is predicted for the girl who has been tipped to succeed Kournikova as the most photographed female star.

Nigel Sears explained: "Daniela is an exceptional talent, with a good all-round game.

"We started working together last June and within two weeks she had won the mixed doubles at Wimbledon, having never even played a mixed doubles match in her life before the event began. Her goal is to end the year in the top 16.

"Some people think we are crazy, but we have already made a great start to the year."

Something that the super-confident Hantuchova agrees with.

"I love playing in the heat and have been playing some of my best tennis here. I don't care about my opponent, I will just play my game.

"I have a big serve, plus a good forehand and backhand. I think I have a good all-round game."

Venus's injury worries gives the match a whole new dimension. Sears admits that Venus is an unknown entity, but that the key will be making her run for as many balls as possible to expose her lack of mobility.

Advice may also be sought from the great Martina Navratilova, who is Hantuchova's mentor and a close friend on the tour.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Philippoussis's many disguises

The name of Mark Philippoussis is not the easiest to pronounce, but his Australian fans seem to have gone to town when thinking of a nickname for him.

Known universally as 'The Scud' in the past, that seems to have been changed as Australia has re-named him 'The Poo'.

Add to that his other nicknames of 'Scudinator' and 'Phlip', and the Australians seem to have added a whole new series of words to the Oxford English Dictionary.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Arantxa: I'm not quitting yet

Despite a first-round exit late on Tuesday at the hands of fellow former French Open Champion Iva Majoli, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario admitted to BBC Sport Online she is not ready to quit yet, despite entering her 17th season on the WTA Tour.

After celebrating her 30th birthday in December, Arantxa returned to some of her best form to help Spain win the mixed-team Hopman Cup two weeks ago, becoming the first player to win the event twice.

"Tennis is more fun now. There is no pressure any more. The pressure is now on the younger girls. I like being a part of history, that is one of the reasons why I still play.

"I don't mind being called a veteran - after all my doubles partner is 12 years younger than me," she joked.

After a disappointing first-round singles exit, the doubles is her best chance to add to her tally of 14 Grand Slam Championships. She admitted that her partnership with Martina Navratilova had came to an end though.

"I'm not playing with Martina anymore. I don't think she is going to play too much in 2002. It's time to find younger partners."

Despite turning professional back in 1986, Arantxa admitted that she is still motivated;

"I have tennis in my heart. It's my passion. It's a great job. I still want to play my best, but I don't think I have to win tournaments anymore, just have fun. How many people can really say they love their job, but I do!"

When retirement finally comes, Arantxa doesn't rule out a return to the BBC commentary box.

"I commentated on the 2000 final here for the BBC and loved it. I would certainly do it again or commentate at Wimbledon when I finally stop playing.

"I also appeared on A Question of Sport once which was hilarious. I was the first foreign tennis player to appear, and I am very proud of that."
---
paw:)

Du4cK

January 21st, 2002, 14:28

Safin wins 3-1.

Great game! :)

chivu

January 21st, 2002, 14:30

Yeah, it looked like Sampras would make it 5 sets, but luckily Safin stayed calm in that tiebreak.

Eric0815

January 21st, 2002, 14:39

The greek god is out..:depress:

At the end it was a really great match. Amazing how Safin improved his mental strength. There were some critical calls against him and Sampras who had the crowd behind him was getting better and better as the game went on but it didnt affect his game. He stayed calm and played very good especially when Sampras had break points. Two years ago he would have smashed his racket, lost his rhythm and the match. I dont think that there's anyone left who can stop him now.

colocolo

January 21st, 2002, 15:32

Marcelo Rios CHI
vs.
Tommy Haas GER (7)

Wayne Ferreira RSA
vs.
Marat Safin RUS (9)

Jiri Novak CZE (26)
vs.
Stefan Koubek AUT

Jonas Bjorkman SWE
vs.
Thomas Johansson SWE (16)
:cool:

real fan

January 21st, 2002, 15:33

WOW! He did it!! He beat Sampras.. :tongue: I hope what King Italy said would come true, Safin should win the title and make my prediction come true :happy:
This is revenge for the defeat by Sampras in the US open last year :devil:

Adriano

January 21st, 2002, 15:44

Russian Marat Safin has repeated his 2000 US Open triumph over Pete Sampras with a tough four-set defeat of the American in the Australian Open fourth round.

Safin, the No.9 seed, served notice to the remaining players in the men’s draw that he is the player to beat with a 6-2 6-4 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (10-8) win in over three and a half hours.

The result also means Safin is the only man left in the tournament with a Grand Slam title to his name, and there will definitely be a new men’s Australian Open champion crowned.

“It was a very difficult match for us, it was a great comeback from Pete,” Safin said. “He started to play great and it was a bit difficult, I was all the time under pressure.”

“The people were supporting him very much. But I stayed in and I think I played a great tie-break in the fourth set and I deserved to win.”

Sampras made a woeful start, double faulting twice in the first game of the match to lose his serve, and after wasting opportunities to break back in the second game found himself down 4-0 when Safin broke and then held again in the third and fourth games.

The 13-time major winner finally got on the scoreboard with a love game on serve, but threw away his fourth break chance in the sixth game before Safin went on to serve out the set in 40 minutes.

Sampras was in trouble again early in the second set, but recovered from 15-40 to hold serve, before three easy service games followed making the score 2-2.

Then Safin managed to increase the pressure in the fifth game and forced the third break of the match to forge ahead 3-2, and several easy games then followed on serve, including Safin’s in the 10th game that put him ahead two sets to love after 79 minutes.

Sampras was in strife again in the first game of the third set before surviving, but he couldn’t repeat the effort the next time he served to fall a break behind as Safin raced to a 4-2 ahead.

Then after failing to convert several chances earlier in the match, Sampras finally broke Safin in the eighth game and went on to pull one set back when he won the tie-breaker 7-5 as his opponent got distracted by several lines calls that went against him.

Both players had their chances several times in the fourth set to grab decisive breaks of serve, particularly Safin when he was one more point away from a 2-0 lead at 0-40 on Sampras’ serve.

But every time one got into trouble he somehow found his way back into the match and another tie-breaker was the result. Sampras led 3-0 and 4-2 with a mini-break but netted a volley to let Safin draw ahead 5-4 on serve.

Safin overhit an attempted winner and then Sampras hit a brilliant volley to win a set point at 6-5, but Safin responded with some fine backhands to force errors from his opponent and grab a match point at 7-6.

Safin had Sampras stranded at the net and launched everything at a forehand but caught the top of the net as the match point went begging, and Sampras then claimed another set point at 8-7.

Another fine backhand followed by a 203km/hr thunderbolt gave Safin another match point at 9-8, and he drew Sampras to the net before playing a brilliant running forehand around the net for the match winner.

Safin will now play South African veteran Wayne Ferreira, who won his second successive five-setter in just over four hours, Ferreira ousting Spaniard Albert Costa to advance to just his second Open quarter-final since 1992.

Ferreira, who had to survive two match points against Ivan Ljubicic in the third round, won 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-7 (4-7) 9-7. He had a chance to serve out the match at 5-4 in the fourth set, but needed three match points on Costa’s serve before winning the match.

Ferreira is making his 12th straight Australian Open appearance with a semi-final in ’92 his best result. He is playing his 45th consecutive Grand Slam event, which is the longest active streak of any player.

German Tommy Haas survived one match point to advance to the second Australian Open quarter-final of his career after a titanic five-set victory against Switzerland’s Roger Federer.

A semi-finalist in 1999, Haas needed three hours and 35 minutes to beat Federer 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 3-6 6-4 8-6.

Federer had match point on Haas’ serve while leading 6-5 in the fifth set, but the German fought back to level at 6-all. Haas then broke Federer’s serve to take a 7-6 lead before successfully serving out the match.

Haas certainly took his chance with the crucial break after struggling earlier to convert only three of 14 break chances that came his way. Interestingly, Federer dominated the statistics serving 25 aces to Haas’ 11 and hit 66 winners to Haas’ 44.

Haas meets Marcelo Rios in the quarter-final after the Chilean defeated Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti 7-5 6-1 6-4.

It was Haas’ second successive five-set victory after his win against Todd Martin in the third round.

The loss ended an eight-game winning streak for Federer, who was only one of three players to reach the final 16 without dropping a set. The others were No.9 seed Marat Safin and qualifier Marat Safin.

Federer tipped Rios to beat Haas in their quarter-final.

“Unfortunately for him (Haas), I made him work hard,” Federer said. “He has a very tough opponent in the next round against Marcelo Rios. I played him in Sydney and he’s very tough, so I must pick Marcelo for favourite.”

Earlier Rios, the former world No.1, reached his third Australian Open quarter-final with an impressive win against Lapentti.

The Chilean’s game was solid throughout. He converted 81 per cent of his first serves and 81 per cent of his approaches to the net and hit 38 winners. And when break opportunities did come his way he didn’t waste them converting six of seven chances.

The 1998 runner-up has not dropped a set since beating Australian Jaymon Crabb in four sets in the first round.

Rios, who held the No.1 ranking during 1998, is making his fifth appearance at the Australian Open and knocked out Alberto Martin, Lleyton Hewitt’s destroyer, in the third round.

For the first time this tournament, rain significantly disrupted play forcing the roof to be closed on Rod Laver Arena and Vodafone Arena, while little play was possible on the outside courts.

Rios said he was reasonably happy with his form, but was still struggling with consistency.

“I play good one match, then I play really bad," Rios said. “But more than that, I think I’m not concentrating when I have to concentrate and I’m not giving it all when it is 5-1 or 5-0.

“I’m much fitter right now and I’m feeling good on the court. I have no injuries and just moving pretty good.”

Steph!

January 21st, 2002, 22:08

> eurosport.com
Clijsters storms into quarters

Kim Clijsters rocketed into the Australian Open quarter-finals on Monday night with a 6-0 6-2 whipping of Janette Husarova. The fourth seed outclassed her Slovak opponent in every department, booking a last eight clash with fellow Belgian Justine Henin in 45 minutes.

"It is great to play another night match here...the atmosphere was great and I feel I am improving with every match I play here," said Clijsters, who was watched by her boyfriend world number one Lleyton Hewitt. "So Justine next round...well it would be nicer not to have to play another Belgian but once we get on court we are just two players who really want to win."

Clijsters started the match serving and stamped her authority on the match, immediately holding with ease. She broke straight away with some fiercely-struck backhands and the writing was on the wall for the 69th-ranked Husarova. Clijsters broke for a third time to win the opening set in just 17 minutes. She allowed the Slovak two games in the second set but the result was never in doubt. Clijsters sealed the win when Husarova was unable to handle yet another of her pummelled backhands.

>> Justine vs Kim <<
:happy::happy::happy::happy::happy:
The ideal final ! Unfortunately it's just a quarter ! But don't blind yourselves ! The winner of the Open is among those 2 ladies !!!!

FORZA JUSTINE & FORZA KIM !!!!

Adriano

January 22nd, 2002, 04:46

It's the end of the Italian angle in this Australian Open.

Hingis beat Serra Zanetti 6-2 6-3

Adriano

January 22nd, 2002, 04:47

The Martina Hingis juggernaut rolls on with the No.3 seed advancing to her sixth Australian Open semi-final after a 6-1 6-3 win against Italy’s Adriana Serra Zanetti.
The three-time champion needed just 73 minutes to overhaul Zanetti and after five matches at the tournament has dropped just 13 games.

Hingis broke the Italian in the fourth game of the match, but was frustrated at times in her attempts to quickly put the spirited Zanetti away. Hingis dropped a serve in the second set and the closeness of the match was by no means reflected in the score.

“She made me run and made me earn the semi-final spot,” Hingis said. “I saw her on TV a bit and I knew she had a fast game and has great angles.

“I knew she would play like that, but did not know how she would react to my game and I was a little slow today. She definitely has a good game.”

Hingis now meets the winner of the match between Monica Seles and Venus Williams in the semi-final. But before then, Hingis will be looking for some hard-hitting training partners to prepare for the inevitable onslaught of Seles or Williams.

Hingis said she had no preference who she met.

“Venus definitely has the game and everybody put her as the favourite at the beginning of the tournament, so Monica has nothing to lose,” Hingis said. “But Monica is definitely one of the best players, especially here at this tournament.

“She won four times and has a great record, only two losses – one against me – so that was good. But there’s basically no pick, no choice.”

The match was the first professional clash between Hingis and Zanetti, but they had met previously as juniors. The result was no different on that occasion, when a 10-year-old Hingis beat the 14-year-old Zanetti.

“She was already a very good player and she beat me,” Zanetti said. “Before that match I was thinking, ‘I can’t lose to a 10-year-old’, but I did.”

Hingis, who won the Australian Open in three successive years from 1997, has already done well enough in Melbourne to surpass $US17 million in prize money. By reaching the quarter-finals she had won $A125,000 and earned another $A14,275 for advancing to the doubles third round with Anna Kournikova.

She is now third on the women’s all-time list behind Steffi Graf ($US21,895,277) and Martina Navratilova ($US 20,475,735).

Adriano

January 22nd, 2002, 04:49

Johansson is 2 sets to 1 ahead of his fellow Swede Jonas Bjorkman

colocolo

January 22nd, 2002, 11:06

Sharp Hingis wastes little time in quarters
Women's No. 3 seed routs Italian opponent in straight sets.

Safin survives Sampras
Former U.S. Open champ holds off American's strong comeback to escape into Australian Open quarterfinals.

Capriati outlasts Grande
Defending Australian Open women's champion wins clinching tiebreaker 11-9, will play Mauresmo in quarters.

Haas calls on emotions

German flashes flamboyance, newfound toughness to save match point, edge Swiss Federer in five-set fourth-rounder.

:cool: :) :D

colocolo

January 22nd, 2002, 11:31

January 22, 2002

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Highlights Tuesday from the Australian Open at Melbourne Park:

WEATHER:@ Rainy, overcast, with a high temperature of 68.

ATTENDANCE:@ 17,656 (day).

RESULTS:@ Men's singles, No. 16 Thomas Johansson advanced.

Women's singles, No. 3 Martina Hingis advanced.

STAT OF THE DAY:@ $17 million. Martina Hingis has passed that mark in career prizemoney earnings in reaching the singles semifinals and doubles quarterfinals. She is third on the women's all-time list behind Steffi Graf and Martina Navratilova.

QUOTE OF THE DAY:@ ``Me and Anna, we don't have to be afraid of nobody out there. We just go out there and play our game.'' -- Hingis on her doubles partnership with Anna Kournikova.

What a set of beauties playing together !!! :horny::heart::horny:

colocolo

January 22nd, 2002, 11:33

January 21, 2002

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- Marcelo Rios is at it again.

Two days after saying the early rounds of women's tennis tournaments are ``a joke,'' Rios called women's tennis ``ridiculous.''

``I'm not going to start arguing about what anybody thinks,'' Rios said Monday after beating Nicolas Lapentti 7-5, 6-1, 6-4 to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals.

``I just said what I thought about it, and in the locker room everybody was agreeing. It is ridiculous what is going on in women's tennis, and I think everybody agrees.''

Jennifer Capriati, the top-ranked women's player, thinks Rios' comments were uninformed.

``It doesn't hurt me, because it is obviously not true,'' Capriati said. ``What can you answer back to that? Stupidity really deserves no answer.''

Capriati joined several leading women players who differed with Rios -- who once was ranked No. 1 -- after he said this week that the early rounds of women's tournaments are ``a joke'' because the top players win so easily.

In the men's game, he said, little-known challengers can topple the top players at any time.

The Chilean :ass: ...Always talking s.h.i.t. !!!!! :boxing:

Steph!

January 22nd, 2002, 11:58

Rios tennistic qualities cant be questionned (he's personnaly one of my fav - pure brilliant left-hand) but really he has a big mouth...
He's always been a "bad boy"... :cool:

Adriano

January 22nd, 2002, 14:32

Four-time champion Monica Seles has beaten favourite Venus Williams for the first time, winning 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-3 to book a semi-final clash with Martina Hingis.

Adriano

January 22nd, 2002, 14:33

Four-time champion Monica Seles has beaten Australian Open favourite Venus Williams for the first time, winning 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-3 to book a semi-final clash with Martina Hingis.
The pair had never met before in a Grand Slam event, but Williams held a 6-0 career win-loss record over her opponent, and early on it appeared as though the reigning Wimbledon and US Open champion was going to maintain that winning record.

But Seles, the 1991, ’92, ’93 and ’96 Australian title-holder dug deep and turned the match around in the last two sets to beat the No.2-seeded Williams for the first time and ensure she will wait at least another 12 months to win her first Australian Open crown.

“It was such a tough match, both of us were fighting a lot of stuff within ourselves,” Seles said afterwards. “I’m just really happy in the end that one went my way. Venus is such a great champion and I just got lucky in the end and it could have gone either way.”

The first set was a tight affair, with Williams needing treatment to her upper right thigh at 4-4 before continuing and grabbing the early advantage by grabbing the tie-break 7-4 after 50 minutes.

Seles dominated the second set, needing 33 minutes to level the match at a set all thanks to three service breaks.

Williams twice held serve easily in the deciding set while wasting chances to break Seles in the second and fourth games, before Seles put her nose in front for the first time with a break in the fifth game.

She held serve to consolidate the edge and lead 4-2, but Williams stepped up her intensity and held easily before pressuring Seles to 0-40 in the eighth game.

Seles was good enough to find her way out of trouble to establish a 5-3 lead, and then saved herself the pressure of serving for the match by taking advantage of her second match point with a second service break in the ninth game.

A look at the match statistics illustrates how Seles managed to claim the victory, with Williams making far too many mistakes. Williams made 49 unforced errors to Seles’ 25, and served twice as many double faults (10 to five).

The Hingis juggernaut meanwhile rolled on earlier in the day with the No.3 seed advancing to her sixth Australian Open semi-final after a 6-1 6-3 win against Italy’s Adriana Serra Zanetti.

The three-time champion needed just 73 minutes to overhaul Zanetti and after five matches at the tournament has dropped just 13 games.

Hingis broke the Italian in the fourth game of the match, but was frustrated at times in her attempts to quickly put the spirited Zanetti away. Hingis dropped a serve in the second set and the closeness of the match was by no means reflected in the score.

“She made me run and made me earn the semi-final spot,” Hingis said. “I saw her on TV a bit and I knew she had a fast game and has great angles.

“I knew she would play like that, but did not know how she would react to my game and I was a little slow today. She definitely has a good game.”

Knowing after the win she would meet either Seles or Williams, Hingis will be looking for some hard-hitting training partners to prepare for the inevitable onslaught, but said she had no preference who she met.

“Venus definitely has the game and everybody put her as the favourite at the beginning of the tournament, so Monica has nothing to lose,” Hingis said. “But Monica is definitely one of the best players, especially here at this tournament.

“She won four times and has a great record, only two losses – one against me – so that was good. But there’s basically no pick, no choice.”

The match was the first professional clash between Hingis and Zanetti, but they had met previously as juniors. The result was no different on that occasion, when a 10-year-old Hingis beat the 14-year-old Zanetti.

“She was already a very good player and she beat me,” Zanetti said. “Before that match I was thinking, ‘I can’t lose to a 10-year-old’, but I did.”

Hingis then backed-up a short time later to team with Anna Kournikova to advance to the fourth round of the women’s doubles with a 6-3 7-5 win against Kristie Boogert and Miriam Oremans of the Netherlands.

Hingis, who won the Australian Open in three successive years from 1997, has already done well enough in Melbourne to surpass $US17 million in prize money. By reaching the quarter-finals she had won $A125,000 and earned another $A14,275 for advancing to the doubles third round.

She is now third on the women’s all-time list behind Steffi Graf ($US21,895,277) and Martina Navratilova ($US20,475,735).

Steph!

January 22nd, 2002, 14:35

Venus is out ! :happy:
Venus is out ! :happy:

Forza Justine & Kim ! :)

colocolo

January 22nd, 2002, 15:56

Originally posted by stephañho
Venus is out ! :happy:
Venus is out ! :happy:

Can I Really quote you on this ????

:howler::happy::excited::cap:

colocolo

January 22nd, 2002, 15:58

Go Martina !!!!! :happy::heart: Beat Seles !!!!! :howler:

Oldsocfan

January 22nd, 2002, 16:31

Can Seles make another miracle when playing against Hingis? :D

Adriano

January 23rd, 2002, 04:32

Belgium's Kim Clijsters will meet Jennifer Capriati in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after both recorded equally impressive victories over their quarter-final opponents.

Adriano

January 23rd, 2002, 04:33

Belgium's Kim Clijsters will meet defending champion Jennifer Capriati in the semi-finals of the Australian Open after both recorded equally impressive victories over their quarter-final opponents.
Clijsters overwhelmed compatriot Justine Henin 6-2 6-3 while Capriati trounced France's Amelie Mauresmo 6-2 6-2.

With boyfriend Lleyton Hewitt watching on, the powerfully built No.4 seed Clijsters dominated her smaller opponent Henin, seeded six, from the outset.

Henin, a Wimbledon finalist last year, struggled with her game and finished with 30 unforced errors compared to Clijster's 15.

The 18-year-old Clijsters had a brief scare early in the second set when Henin broke to take a 2-1 lead but Clijsters immediately broke back to put the set back on level terms.

Clijsters again broke at 4-3 and then held serve to take the match. It marks her second appearance in a Grand Slam semi-final with her first coming at the French Open last year.

After the match Clijsters said she never allowed Henin to gain any momentum.

"If you let her into the match she's very tough to beat. It was important to get aggressive from first up," Clijsters said.

It was also her fourth victory over her compatriot in their last five meetings.

Top seed Capriati, one of the Australian Open's most popular champions, also had little trouble against No. 7 seed Mauresmo.

Steph!

January 23rd, 2002, 09:27

CAPRIATI vs CLIJSTERS
>> the Revenge :fero::happy:

Forza Kim ! :)

real fan

January 23rd, 2002, 09:30

Safin beats ferreira!! WooHoo!!! Another step closer to the finals!!

:happy:

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 11:02

Marat Safin, the 2000 U.S. Open champion, advanced to the men's semifinals when Wayne Ferreira retired from their match with an abdominal strain. Safin, seeded ninth, led 5-2 when Ferreira stopped.

The Russian, who eliminated 13-time Grand Slam tournament winner Pete Sampras in the fourth round, next meets the winner between No. 7 Tommy Haas and former No. 1 Marcelo Rios.

Safin declined to accept the favorite's role now, saying, ``I prefer to stay one of these guys who nobody expects to win.''

:lala:

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 11:05

The rios Vs Haas game is underway as we type..I'll post results as I gather them... :cool:

Steph!

January 23rd, 2002, 11:11

Haas won the first set 7-6

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 11:33

Marcelo starts waving bye bye....Lost the first set....and the second too 4x6 :lala:
Go talk crap someplace else Chino Maricon !!!!!!

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 12:48

The third set into tie breaker...Rios up 7-6 .. but hasnt wont it yet !!!Running time so far 3 hrs !!! :dazed:

;)

Adriano

January 23rd, 2002, 12:49

Haas leads 2 sets to 1 and 4-3 in the 4th.

I wouldn't write Marcelo off yet, if you just look back at the past couple of days you'll see why.

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 13:29

Rios is done....4 sets it took but Haas is the Victorious one today..

;)

Adriano

January 23rd, 2002, 13:42

Germany’s No.7 seed Tommy Haas has beaten an unsettled Marcelo Rios 7-6 (7-2) 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-5) to advance to an Australian Open semi-final against Marat Safin.
Haas maintained his composure throughout the match and overcame plenty of pressure on his serve while at the other end Rios mixed up some brilliant shots with some wild and temperamental play.

Safin meanwhile, the 2000 US Open champion and No.9 seed, had an easy progression to the last four when his quarter final opponent, South African veteran Wayne Ferreira, lasted just seven games before withdrawing through injury.

Ferreira strained a muscle in his stomach when warming up for the match this morning, and after falling two breaks of serve behind at 5-2 after 28 minutes, alerted the chair umpire that he was unable to continue.

Haas looked down the barrel countless times in the match on his own serve, but time and time again battled back from break point advantages held by Rios with booming first serves.

In fact, Rios should have taken the first set without need for the tie-breaker, but conspired to let Haas back into the contest when he failed to serve it out and then lost his concentration as his opponent went ahead.

One break was all Haas needed in the second set, but Rios turned it on in the third set to keep his chances alive, only for a tight fourth set to go Haas’ way in yet another tie-break.

“In the first two sets he was up 15-40, quite a lot of times he had break points but couldn’t convert them, and I think probably that was the key in the first two sets,” Haas said.

“The third was quite close, I had some chances there in the set at the end but he came up with some good shots and played an unbelievable tie-breaker and it was pretty much the same in the fourth with just a couple of points here and there.”

Rios twice had the chance early in the first set to break Haas’ serve at 15-40, but on each occasion Haas cranked up his first serve and fought his way back to hang on.

But given a third chance in the ninth game Rios finally took it, only to hand the advantage straight back in the 10th game as he failed to serve out the set.

Rios claimed the first point of the tie-breaker against serve, only for Haas to do so on Rios’ serve. And when Haas dumped an easy put away into the net on his own serve, the score was 2-2 with all four points going against the serve.

But then Haas won five straight points to grab the set in 51 minutes, with Rios losing his cool when a couple of line calls went against him. He had insult added to injury when given a code violation for calling umpire Jorge Dias “stupid”.

Rios had more chances to break Haas’ serve in the fourth and sixth games, but came up short again, before Haas took control of the set with a second break of his own in the seventh game.

Rios managed to stave off a set point in the ninth game to hold, but Haas had no trouble serving it out to grab the two sets to love advantage after 98 minutes.

Rios finally converted another break point opportunity in the fourth game to open up a 3-1 lead, but like in the first set Hass broke back immediately and another tie-breaker was eventually the result.

But Rios finally grabbed some momentum in the tie-breaker, racing to a 5-1 lead before eventually pulling one set back, and when he broke in the first game of the fourth set was looking strong.

Haas broke back straight away for the third time in the match, and from there each player held serve for five straight games each on the way to a third tie-breaker, where Haas finally shook off Rios’ challenge.

Coming off successive five-setters in the third and fourth rounds, including a tough match against Spaniard Albert Costa when he won 9-7 in the deciding set, the long matches caught up with Ferreira.

Safin broke Ferreira’s serve in the third game and after going behind 2-1 Ferreira immediately called for a three-minute injury time-out to have the injury attended to.

He played on but his serving power was well down, and after being broken again in the seventh game to give Safin a 5-2 lead, alerted the umpire that he couldn’t go on.

Ferreira said he first noticed the injury this morning when he was warming up, and admitted that he has also had trouble with it in the past when he plays too many matches.

"It was a little twinge, I didn't think much of it," he said. "It happens when I play a lot. I have just abused myself. I don't mind losing as long as the other guy has to fight."

The easy progression was a bonus for 2000 US Open champion and tournament No.9 seed Safin after Monday night’s four-set marathon against Pete Sampras.

“I would definitely have not liked to play today because it’s too hot and especially against Wayne because he is a great player,” Safin said.

“Unfortunately he was injured and it was quite good luck for me so I don’t have to spend so much energy in a quarter final.”

“It would be nice to win here but I don’t want to be the favourite. It gave me a lot of confidence that match, I played great and I am full of confidence.”

real fan

January 23rd, 2002, 13:44

3-Martina Hingis v 8-Monica Seles

1-Jennifer Capriati v 4-Kim Clijsters

colocolo

January 23rd, 2002, 13:57

Marcelo Rios CHI 6 4 7 6 5
vs. Match Statistics
Tommy Haas GER(7) 7 6 6 7
All Rios could mustard today was to win One set !!!
Mr Big Mouth is out !!! :lala:

Tigerheart

January 23rd, 2002, 14:40

What exactly is the prob with what Rios said? He was right in everything he said...
"Women tennis until the quarterfinals is a joke". What is wrong? There are no opponents like in mens tennis where anybody in the top 100 could easily beat the #1 anytime, while in women tennis not even the #1 can beat the #1 without an injury...

Look at the draw, woman got top four in excluding Venus who was defeated by Seles in the last round. That was predictable.
The mens best player is seeded at #7, nobody could imagine this at this stage of the tournament.

I don't say the top women (top 8 or so) suck, but all the rest is absolutely no competition for the rest (that is what Rios said aswell).

Claudia_Du

January 23rd, 2002, 17:29

The lady's semifinals are not a big surprise for me. And I hope that Kim Clilsters will show the other how to really play tennis. ;):D

And looking at the men's tournament: Besides Marat Safin - to see the other players in the semis is a big surprise for me. And although he is not one of my favourite players, I hope that my fellow country man Thomas Haas will win the Open this year. He is playing the best tennis of his life at the moment.

Tigerheart

January 23rd, 2002, 18:04

Originally posted by Claudia_Du
The lady's semifinals are not a big surprise for me. And I hope that Kim Clilsters will show the other how to really play tennis. ;):D

And looking at the men's tournament: Besides Marat Safin - to see the other players in the semis is a big surprise for me. And although he is not one of my favourite players, I hope that my fellow country man Thomas Haas will win the Open this year. He is playing the best tennis of his life at the moment.

Yes, but still I don't see any chance for Tommy against Marat Safin. Friday 5 o'clock MET, looks like I have to stay up :D.

Steph!

January 23rd, 2002, 18:46

Originally posted by Claudia_Du
The lady's semifinals are not a big surprise for me. And I hope that Kim Clilsters will show the other how to really play tennis. ;):D
Now that's the right spirit Claudia ! ;)

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 06:09

It's 1 set all in the Hingis and Seles match. Hingis is leading 5-2 in the deciding set.

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 06:45

Hingis defeated Seles 4-6 6-1 6-4, and is through to yet another final. Is she gonna break that drought of not winning a Grand Slam since 1999. She will have to beat Capriati or Clijsters to do it.

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 06:45

Three-time champion Martina Hingis is into her sixth consecutive Australian Open final after finishing over the top of Monica Seles 4-6 6-1 6-4 at Melbourne Park.
Hingis, who won three consecutive titles from 1997, overcame a slow start to wear down Seles in 100 minutes.

Hingis, 21, held a 13-4 lead in the matches between the two, but Seles, who won four Australian Open titles from 1991-93 and in 1996, won their two previous meetings on hardcourt.

The American used all her power to blow Hingis off the court to take the opening set in 39 minutes. But the effort took its toll and the 28-year-old Seles showed obvious signs of tiredness in the next two sets as Hingis’ class came through.

Seles made 36 groundstroke winners to Hingis' 20, but the American committed 40 unforced errors to only 12 from the consistent winner.

"At the beginning she was hitting winners and was very aggressive, I felt like she was on top of me," Hingis said. "But it's very hard to get through a match like that all of the time.

"I just had to stay patient and wait for my chances."

Hingis raced to a 2-0 lead in the second set and broke again to quickly level the match at 1-set all. And she looked to be to have the game sewn up at 5-1 in the third set before Seles defied her weariness to break back and reduce the lead to 5-4.

But Hingis would not be denied her shot at a fourth title to serve out the final set 6-4.

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 07:51

Capriati won the first set 7-5, but Clijsters leads 5-2 in the second.

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 08:32

Capriati defeated Clijsters 7-5 3-6 6-1. She will now try to defend her title against Martina Hingis.

Adriano

January 24th, 2002, 08:33

Jennifer Capriati will defend her Australian Open women’s title against Martina Hingis in the final at Melbourne Park on Saturday.
Capriati defeated Belgium’s Kim Clijsters 7-5 3-6 6-1 to set up the clash with Hingis, who defeated Monica Seles 4-6 6-1 6-4.

Three-time champion Hingis is into her sixth consecutive Australian Open final after finishing over the top of Seles in 100 minutes.

Hingis, 21, held a 13-4 lead in the matches between the two, but Seles, who won four Australian Open titles from 1991-93 and in 1996, won their two previous meetings on hardcourt.

The American used all her power to blow Hingis off the court to take the opening set in 39 minutes. But the effort took its toll and the 28-year-old Seles showed obvious signs of tiredness in the next two sets as Hingis’ class came through.

Seles made 36 groundstroke winners to Hingis' 20, but the American committed 40 unforced errors to only 12 from the consistent winner.

"At the beginning she was hitting winners and was very aggressive, I felt like she was on top of me," Hingis said. "But it's very hard to get through a match like that all of the time.

"I just had to stay patient and wait for my chances."

Hingis raced to a 2-0 lead in the second set and broke again to quickly level the match at 1-set all. And she looked to be to have the game sewn up at 5-1 in the third set before Seles defied her weariness to break back and reduce the lead to 5-4.

But Hingis would not be denied her shot at a fourth title to serve out the final set 6-4.

colocolo

January 24th, 2002, 11:39

I just opened a poll on the Ladies winner prediction...C Ya !!!!

;)

real fan

January 24th, 2002, 16:32

Thomas Johansson defeats Jiri Novak 7-6(5) 0-6 4-6 6-3 6-4

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Swede Bounces Czech, Moves into Final
Thursday, 24 January, 2002

No.16 seed Thomas Johansson became the first player to book a berth in the men's singles final on Sunday, when he dispatched the No.26 seeded Czech Jiri Novak late on Thursday evening.

Drawing inspiration from the sea of boisterous blue and yellow Swedish fans in the crowd, Johansson posted a stirring five set victory after two hours, 51 minutes. It signals the first time the Swede has progressed past the quarter final of a Grand Slam in 25 attempts. On Sunday he will attempt to become the first Swede to win here since Mats Wilander in 1988.

Playing a gritty baseline game and possessing a never-say-die attitude, Johansson recovered from a two sets-to-one deficit to triumph 7-6(5) 0-6 4-6 6-3 6-4. During the torrid baseline duel he rattled off 57 winners (the equivalent of 14 games) and slammed down 19 aces.

After claiming the first set in a tense tiebreak, the 26-year-old Swede went off the boil, committing 15 unforced errors and conceding the second set in just 20 minutes. He later admitted that he "didn't know what happened. Maybe I was too relaxed."

Novak clinched the third set and looked on track for his first Grand Slam final, before the Swede stepped up a gear and began to outplay the Czech from the back of the court. 27 of his winners came in the final two sets. Said a gracious Novak after the match: "He started to play very well, he had nothing to lose. He started returning very well. I would like to congratulate him. He was better on the court and that's why he won."

The courageous Novak fended off three match points on his serve in the final game of the fifth set, pumping the crowd into a frenzy, before the attacking Swede forced the final error from his opponent. "I was trying at the end of the match to push the public with me," said Novak, who won many fans with his sportsmanlike behaviour during the match. Leading 3-2 in the third set, he conceded a point on the Swede's serve (which handed Johansson the game), after the ball had been called out. "Because I saw the ball was before the line," said the Czech.

Admitted the Swede: "I was really nervous before the match. I haven't played a semi final in a Grand Slam. The whole match I was fighting to the end. I was almost crying with happiness at the end.

"In a match like this they (the Swedish fans) helped me so much. It was great to be playing in front of them, screaming all the time. This is like a dream come true for me. To play this well in front of these fans is amazing. Anyone could have won that fifth set.

"First I have to enjoy this victory and then I will prepare myself for Sunday."

But what a difference a year has made for the 26-year-old journeyman Novak, who was forced to watch the Australian Open from his television set last year, after falling victim to a virus over the Christmas holidays.

Two weeks after the Open, he played "one of the worst matches" of his life, ironically against Johansson. He lost that match - a deciding Davis Cup rubber against Sweden in February, which effectively erased his country from the world group.

His semi final appearance this week then, is not too bad an effort for a guy who came into this tournament carrying a 4-4 win-loss record on the Rebound Ace, and hoping to "make, let's say, one or two matches."

"I'm really disappointed I lost in the semi final. It was always my dream. I made a very nice result here," said the Czech, who phoned his wife in the Czech Republic immediately after the match. "She was watching with about 40 people in my club."

Johansson will play the winner of the Marat Safin v Tommy Haas clash in the final.

colocolo

January 24th, 2002, 21:24

Johannson Vs ??? Haas/Safin :cool:

Adriano

January 25th, 2002, 05:27

The sexy pair of Hingis and Kournikova just won the Womens Doubles Final over Sanchez-Vicario and Hantuchova 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-1.

Adriano

January 25th, 2002, 05:28

Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova have regained the Australian Open women’s doubles title after first winning it in 1999.
The No.8 seeds beat No.13 seeds Daniela Hantuchova, of Slovakia, and Spain’s Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario, a two-time doubles winner, 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 6-1.

For Hingis, it was her fourth title after winning from 1997 to 1999 with three different partners, and it was the fifth time in six years she contested the doubles final. Hingis and Kournikova reportedly had a falling out during 2000, but reunited late last year.

Hingis and Kournikova will split the first prize of $A407,490 while the runners-up will divide $A203,745.

Should Hingis win the singles title against Jennifer Capriati on Saturday, then it will be the fourth time she has won both titles and the 14th time that a woman has won both titles at the Australian Open.

Only three other players have achieved the feat – Margaret Smith Court (1969/70/71/73), Evonne Goolagong Cawley (1974/75/76/77) and Martina Navratilova (1983/85).

After cruising through the first set, Hingis was serving for the match in the second at 5-4, but had her serve broken. Hantuchova and Sanchez-Vicario then won the ensuing tie-break 7-4 to take the match into a third.

But Hingis and Kournikova quickly recovered to take the final set in emphatic style.

The pair beat the No.1 seeds Rennae Stubbs, of Sydney, and American Lisa Raymond in the semi-final.

Adriano

January 25th, 2002, 05:29

The Champions

Adriano

January 25th, 2002, 08:08

Progress Score:

7-T Haas (Ger) 7 6 3
9-M Safin (Rus) 6 7 2

Already the first two sets decided by tiebreaks. We could be going well into the night here.

It's currently about 6:00pm Melbourne time

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:12

Score so far:

Haas 7 6 6 0

Safin 6 7 3 2

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:14

Safin up a break 3-0 :happy:

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:18

YEA!!! Safin breaks Haas again 4-0 :happy: :happy:

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:21

Haas 7 6 6 0

Safin 6 7 3 5 :tongue:

This is going to 5 sets for sure :D

Adriano

January 25th, 2002, 09:42

2-1 to Safin in the 5th

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:43

Haas 7 6 6 0 1

Safin 6 7 3 6 2

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 09:58

Safin up 5-2 in the 5th set.. one more game to go... :)

real fan

January 25th, 2002, 10:03

.. match point..

game, set, match Safin!!!! :happy:

Haas 7 6 6 0 2

Safin 6 7 3 6 6

Finals:

Johansson vs. Safin

colocolo

January 25th, 2002, 11:27

Oh Well....Lets go the Poll Area and place our votes... :lala:

colocolo

January 25th, 2002, 11:36

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) --

The last time Martina Hingis won the Australian Open doubles, she went on to get the singles championship the next day.

That was in 1999, and Hingis teamed with the same partner, Anna Kournikova, on Friday to beat Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Daniela Hantuchova 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-1. :heart::heart:

In the singles final Saturday, Hingis faces top-seeded Jennifer Capriati, who beat her in the 2001 final.

``It's positive energy,'' Hingis said after the doubles win.

The doubles final this year was also a comeback of sorts for the eighth-seeded partnership of Hingis and Kournikova, who split in 2000 and were both hindered by injuries last year.

The two chatted animatedly on changeovers and discussed strategy between points. Last year, the pair practiced doubles for a week with the help of Hingis' mother, Melanie Molitor, in Switzerland.

However, the gulf between their games is evident. Hingis, a five-time Grand Slam singles winner, used quick hands to intercept and put away balls at the net.

Kournikova, the endorsement queen who has not won a singles title, made frequent errors on her volleys and was reluctant to come to net on her serve. But she hit some big forehands from the baseline.

``Throughout the whole match, we were always up and up and winning, and we just couldn't close it out,'' said Hingis, who received a code violation for racket abuse when her serve was broken in the second set.

Sanchez-Vicario, a 30-year-old veteran of the tour and winner of three Australian Open doubles titles, was playing for the first time with Hantuchova. They were seeded 13th.

Hantuchova, 18, hit winners all around the court, but her game was erratic. Hingis said the Slovakian needed to learn more about ``positioning and the doubles thinking.''

Seeded 32nd in the singles, Hantuchova lost to Venus Williams in three sets in the third round. At 5-foot-11 1/4 , Hantuchova is one of the tallest players on the tour.

``She needs a little experience,'' Hingis said. ``She is definitely a prodigy. She has a great future ahead of her, if she takes advantage of it.''

Hantuchova said she was honored to play with Sanchez-Vicario, a Spaniard who has won 14 Grand Slam titles: four singles, six doubles and four mixed doubles.

``There are so many things I can learn from her,'' said Hantuchova, who is scheduled to play a mixed doubles semifinal Saturday with partner Kevin Ullyett of Zimbabwe.

Double :heart::heart: for the 2 Beauties !!!!