The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Nalbandian advances

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Oct 27, 2006
ePaper

Sport

Sport - Tennis

Nalbandian advances

— PHOTO: AFP

A STROLL IN THE PARK: David Nalbandian had it easy against Roko Karanusic.

BASEL: David Nalbandian enjoyed a comfortable passage into the second round of the Swiss Indoors on Wednesday to maintain some pressure on World No. 1 and local favourite Roger Federer.

Nalbandian defeated Croatian lucky loser Roko Karanusic 6-2, 6-4 to set up a second round encounter with Feliciano Lopez.

Defending champion and third seed Fernando Gonzalez also advanced after a surprisingly hard fought 7-6(3), 6-7(2), 7-6(3) win over Italian Simone Bolelli.

Nalbandian made light work of the 179th-ranked Karanusic, with two breaks of serve in each set. The Argentine unnecessarily surrendered a service game while serving for the match at 5-2 but he made no mistake with his next opportunity and calmly finished off with an ace.

``I was playing very well until leading 3-0 in the second set,'' Nalbandian said. ``Then I fell down a bit with my concentration but it was okay for a first round match.''

The results: At Basel (Swiss Indoors): Second round: Fernando Gonzalez bt Mardy Fish 6-7(5), 6-4, 7-6(8). First round: Jose Acasuso bt Albert Montanes 6-4, 6-3; Fernando Gonzalez bt Simone Bolelli 7-6(3), 6-7(2), 7-6(3); Juan Ignacio Chela bt Filippo Volandri 6-4, 7-5; Tim Henman bt Christophe Rochus 6-2, 6-3; Stanislas Wawrinka bt Agustin Calleri 7-6(5), 6-1; David Nalbandian bt Roko Karanusic 6-2, 6-4; Juan Martin Del Potro bt Tobias Clemens 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

At Lyon (Grand Prix de Tennis): Second round: Robby Ginepri (USA) bt Simon Greul (Ger) 6-1 6-2. First round: Michael Llodra bt Michael Mertinak 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-2; Robby Ginepri bt Gilles Simon 7-6(3), 7-6(5); Nicolas Almagro bt Florian Mayer 7-6(5), 6-4.

At St. Petersburg (ATP St Petersburg Open): Second round: Mario Ancic bt Raemon Sluiter 6-3, 6-4; Potito Starace bt Jarkko Nieminen 7-5, 3-2 retired; Ernest Gulbis bt Lukas Dlouhy 5-7, 6-3, 6-3. First round: Raemon Sluiter bt Lukasz Kubot 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Tommy Haas bt Nenad Zimonjic 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-2.

At Linz (Generali Ladies): First round: Ana Ivanovic bt Michaella Krajicek 6-1, 7-6(2); Eleni Daniilidou bt Chanda Rubin 6-1, 6-2; Nadia Petrova bt Shahar Peer 6-1, 6-1; Elena Vesnina bt Daniela Hantuchova 4-3 retired,; Nicole Vaidisova bt Mara Santangelo 7-6(4), 6-0; Jelena Jankovic bt Sybille Bammer 6-1, 6-7(3), 6-3. — Agencies

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport