The Hindu : Sport : Nalbandian puts out Rik de Voest

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Wednesday, Aug 16, 2006

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Nalbandian puts out Rik de Voest

Shocking exit for Sania Mirza in Rogers Cup; Kirilenko made to sweat

MASON: Third-seeded David Nalbandian of Argentina waited out a rain delay and beat Rik de Voest of South Africa 6-0, 6-4 on Monday in the first round of the $2.45 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters.

Nalbandian reached the semifinals of two Grand Slam events this year but was upset in the first round of last week's Masters event in Toronto. He seemed headed for a quick win to start this tournament near Cincinnati, but the weather didn't cooperate.

He led 4-0 after just 17 minutes when the match was suspended because of heavy rain. The players came back 90 minutes later and warmed up, but light rain returned. Play finally resumed after a delay of 2 hours, 19 minutes.

Nalbandian quickly won the set, then cruised through the second, unbothered by the double delay.

``The first set was important, when I was 4-0, then to come back and win it quickly was good,'' Nalbandian said. ``Then you feel you just have to play one more set, or maybe two.''

Baghdatis advances

Eighth-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, who also was upset in the first round last week in Toronto, needed two tie-breakers to beat Thomas Johansson of Sweden 7-6(3), 7-6(3).

American James Blake, the No. 6 seed, eliminated Fabrice Santoro of France 6-4, 6-4.

Easy for Pennetta

In the Rogers Cup, Flavia Pennetta of Italy beat Galia Voskoboeva of Russia 6-3, 6-1 on Monday in the first round.

India's Sania Mirza made a shocking exit, losing to an Italian qualifier Alberta Brianti 6-2, 1-6, 2-6.

Sania lost her way after winning the first set against the fighting Italian, who was quick to take advantage of Sania's shortcomings and turn the match in her favour to advance to the second round of the Tier I event.

This was Sania's second successive first-round exit after she lost her opening match in the Los Angeles Open last week.

Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia, seeded 14th, eliminated Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands 6-3, 7-5. Also, 15th- seeded Maria Kirilenko of Russia defeated Jelena Kostanic of Croatia 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 and 17th-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain beat Laura Granville of the United States 7-5, 6-4.

In other first-round matches, Israel's Shahar Peer defeated Uzbekistan's Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-4 and Italian Mara Santangelo beat Austrian Sybille Bammer 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2.

French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo and Maria Sharapova all withdrew before the start of play.

The results: Western & Southern Financial Group Masters:

Men: singles (first round): Marcos Baghdatis bt Thomas Johansson 7-6(3), 7-6(3); Juan Ignacio Chela bt Nikolay Davydenko 6-4, 2-6, 6-2; Nicolas Almagro bt Alberto Martin 6-3, 6-3; Florent Serra bt Julien Benneteau 6-3, 6-3; Kristof Vliegen bt Marc Gicquel 7-6(7), 7-6(3); David Nalbandian bt Rik de Voest 6-0, 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov bt Sebastien Grosjean 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Lee Hyung-taik bt Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-4; Robby Ginepri bt Paul-Henri Mathieu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Dominik Hrbaty bt Paul Goldstein 6-4, 6-3; James Blake bt Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 6-4; Mardy Fish bt Nicolas Mahut 6-1, 6-3; David Ferrer bt Carlos Moya 6-3, 6-1; Vincent Spadea bt Andreas Seppi 6-4, 6-3; Davide Sanguinetti bt Robin Vik 6-3, 6-7(4), 6-3; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Jonas Bjorkman 6-6 (retd.)

Rogers Cup: singles (first round): Alberta Brianti bt Sania Mirza 2-6, 6-1, 6-2; Katarina Srebotnik bt Michaella Krajicek 6-3, 7-5; Anabel Medina Garrigues bt Laura Granville 7-5, 6-4; Mara Santangelo bt Sybille Bammer 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-2; Flavia Pennetta bt Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 6-1; Shahar Peer bt Varvara Lepchenko 6-4, 6-4; Maria Kirilenko bt Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Lucie Safarova bt Virginie Razzano 7-4, 6-4; Nathalie Dechy bt Tzipi Obziler 6-7(3), 6-2, 6-1; Ana Ivanovic bt Tatiana Golovin 6-4, 6-2; Marion Bartoli bt Anna Smashnova 6-3, 6-3.

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