The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Sharapova enters final

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Oct 09, 2004

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Sport - Tennis

Sharapova enters final

TOKYO, OCT. 8. Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova advanced to the Japan Open final on Friday with a convincing 6-2, 6-3 victory over Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn.

Top seeded Lleyton Hewitt defeated France's Cyril Saulnier 7-5, 6-1 to set up a men's semifinal showdown with fifth-seeded Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, who downed Thailand's Paradorn Srichapan 6-4, 6-4.

Top seeded Sharapova dropped the first two games in the first set but quickly recovered to win the next six and overpower Tanasugarn at Ariake Colosseum.

``I got off to a slow start. I didn't have a proper warm-up and she broke my serve right away,'' said the 17-year-old Russian, who won Sunday's Korea Open.

``I made a double fault, but started to serve better as the match went on and was able to return well, and that was the key,'' she added.

Hewitt, who won here in 2001, had his hands full in the first set, but took control in the second when he capitalised on two double faults to break Saulnier twice.

Saulnier, who defeated Sweden's Thomas Johansson in the third round, looked tired in the second set and was unable keep pace with the Australian.

Ferrer shocks Ferrero

David Ferrer upset third-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in an all-Spanish second-round match at the Lyon Open.

Mikhail Youzhny of Russia, a semifinalist last year, overcame Agustin Calleri of Argentina 6-3, 6-7 (2), 7-6 (4) and claimed a last-eight berth against Xavier Malisse of Belgium.

Fourth-seeded Joachim Johansson of Sweden beat qualifier Julien Benneteau, the last remaining Frenchman, 6-3, 6-4, and will play another Swede, Robin Soderling.

Jurgen Melzer of Austria ousted Hicham Arazi of Morocco 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1 to advance to his seventh quarterfinals of the year, and he'll face seventh-seeded Vince Spadea of the United States. It will be their fourth match this year, with Spadea leading 2-1.

Bhupathi-Mirnyi in last four

Top seeds Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi advanced to the semifinals at Lyon. The India-Belarussian pair beat Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia and Joachim Johansson of Sweden 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in the quarterfinals to set up a clash with Israel's Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram.

The results:

At Tokyo (Japan Open): Men: Quarterfinals: Lleyton Hewitt bt Cyril Saulnier 7-5, 6-1; Jiri Novak bt Paradorn Srichaphan 6-4, 6-4; Bohdan Ulihrach bt Bjorn Phau 7-5, 6-4; Taylor Dent bt Gilles Muller 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.

Women: Semifinals: Maria Sharapova bt Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-3; Mashona Washington bt Klara Koukalova 3-6, 7-5, 6-2.

At Lyon (Lyon Open): Second round: Mikhail Youzhny bt Agustin Calleri 6-3, 6-7(2), 7-6(4); David Ferrer bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Joachim Johansson bt Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-4; Jurgen Melzer bt Hicham Arazi 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-1. Doubles: (quarterfinals): Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi bt Dominik Hrbaty and Joachim Johansson 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

At Filderstadt (Porsche Grand Prix): Amelie Mauresmo bt Patty Schnyder 7-5, 6-4; Fabiola Zuluaga bt Anna Smashnova 6-4, 1-0 (retd.); Anastasia Myskina bt Nathalie Dechy 4-6, 6-2, 6-1; Lisa Raymond bt Silvia Farina Elia 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-0; Elena Likhovtseva bt Mary Pierce 0-6, 6-4, 6-3; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Elena Bovina 7-5, 6-4; Jelena Jankovic bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 6-4.

Earlier results: Lisa Raymond bt Silvia Farina Elia 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 6-0; Elena Likhovtseva bt Mary Pierce 0-6, 6-4, 6-3; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Elena Bovina 7-5, 6-4. — AP

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