The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Zabaleta upsets Mardy Fish

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Friday, Apr 13, 2007
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Zabaleta upsets Mardy Fish

— Photo: AP

CRUISE MODE: Tatiana Golovin had an easy run against Jill Craybas in the Family Circle Cup tournament.

HOUSTON: Argentine Mariano Zabaleta upset defending champion Mardy Fish of the United States 7-5, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the U.S. Clay Court Tennis Championships.

Zabaleta, who had to win two qualifying matches to get into the main draw, said he was ``really focused'' at the beginning of the second round match and is most comfortable on clay.

``I think I play maybe a little bit better on clay,'' than Fish, Zabaleta said. ``I feel really good about the win."

Fish, seeded fourth, agreed that Zabaleta holds the edge with him on slower surfaces.

``He's a great clay court player, someone you'd like to see his name next to yours at Wimbledon, but not on clay,'' Fish said. ``I didn't play poorly. I gave myself chances and for whatever reason it didn't work out.''

Zabaleta, ranked No. 156 in the world, now plays last year's runner-up, Jurgen Melzer of Austria, in the final eight on Friday.

Fish had chances to take the second set. He had two break points to go up 5-3, but he hit two forehands long and Zabaleta won the game to level the set at 4-4.

The Argentine broke Fish in the next game and served out the match at love.

Venus cruises

Venus Williams needed just 49 minutes to reach the third round of the Family Circle Cup in Charleton, defeating Vasilisa Bardina 6-2, 6-1 on Wednesday, in a match briefly suspended because of rain.

Williams, ranked No. 29, has been slowed by a wrist injury and is playing in only her fourth tournament this year. Bardina, ranked No. 55, broke serve to open the match, but from then on had problems handling Williams' serve.

Tatiana Golovin of France advanced to the third round with a 6-0, 6-1 win over Jill Craybas of the United States. Golovin, ranked No. 19, is seeded 10th.

The results: At Valencia (Valencia Open): Second round: Filippo Volandri bt Stefan Koubek 6-4, 1-0 retd.; Nicolas Almagro bt Alessio di Mauro 7-5, 6-2. First round: Alejandro Falla bt Andreas Seppi 6-3, 6-4; Alberto Martin bt Feliciano Lopez 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Ivan Navarro Pastor bt Daniele Bracciali 6-3, 6-1; Potito Starace bt Fernando Verdasco 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

At Houston (US Men's Claycourt Championships): Second round: Albert Montanes bt Dusan Vemic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4; Jurgen Melzer bt Victor Hanescu 6-4, 6-2; Mariano Zabaleta bt Mardy Fish 7-5, 6-4; Vincent Spadea bt Michael Russell 7-6(3), 2-6, 6-1. First round: Tommy Haas bt Samuel Querrey 3-6, 6-3, 7-5; Alex Kuznetsov bt Lars Burgsmuller 7-5, 7-5; Diego Hartfield bt Sebastien Grosjean 6-4, 6-4.

At Charleston (Family Circle Cup): Second round: Jie Zheng bt Shahar Peer 6-2, 6-3; Mara Santangelo bt Ashley Harkleroad 6-2, 6-0; Lourdes Dominguez Lino bt Marion Bartoli 6-3, 6-2(7); Ana Ivanovic bt Gisela Dulko 6-0, 6-7(5), 6-4; Vera Zvonareva bt Melien Tu 6-1, 6-3; Sybille Bammer bt Virginie Razzano 6-0, 3-0 ret.; Anabel Medina Garrigues bt Francesca Schiavone 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Tatiana Golovin bt Jill Craybas 6-0, 6-1; Dinara Safina bt Eleni Daniilidou 6-3, 6-4; Venus Williams bt Vassilissa Bardina 6-2, 6-1; Jelena Jankovic bt Anastassia Rodionova 6-1, 6-1; Katarina Srebotnik bt Aravane Rezai 7-6(3), 3-6, 7-5. — Agencies

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