The Hindu : Sport : Facile win puts Sania in last eight

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Facile win puts Sania in last eight

Nadal rallies to overcome Bolelli; Leander-Dlouhy in semifinals

— Photo: AP

BOUNCING BACK: Rafael Nadal displayed the qualities of a world No. 1 by rallying to get past Simone Bolelli in the ABN Amro Open on Wednesday.

PATTAYA: Sania Mirza outplayed Russian qualifier Vitalia Diatchenko 6-4, 6-0 to storm into the quarterfinals of the $ 220,000 Pattaya Open tennis tournament here on Thursday.

Sania played perhaps her best tennis after comeback from a wrist surgery and sent the Russian opponent packing in one hour and two minutes in her second round match. The Russian, who had upset third seeded Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia in the first round, had to surrender meekly to her Indian opponent after the two held their serves till the eighth game of the first set.

Ruthless

Sania broke the Russian in the ninth game to go up 5-4 and then sealed the first set by holding her serve. The Indian then showed her ruthless form by winning all the six games of the second set, finishing off each game with ease.

Sania will next play six seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand who beat Neuza Silva of Portugal 6-3, 6-2 in another second round match.

In other matches, top-seeded Vera Zvonareva overpowered Yaroslava Shedova of Kazakhstan while seventh-seeded Shahar Peer, the 2006 champion, progressed with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Yuliya Beygelzimer.

At Rotterdam, World No. 1 Rafael Nadal fought back from a set down to overcome Italy’s Simone Bolelli 4-6, 6-2, 7-5 in the first round of the ABN Amro Open on Wednesday.

“This is one the fastest courts I played on the last year and it was difficult to pick up my rhythm also because he played so fast,” said Nadal.

“But later on I improved, aimed more on my forehand and served better.”

Bolelli converted the only break opportunity he created on Nadal’s service game to clinch the first set but dropped games on his own serve twice in the next set.

Not at his best

Nadal, in his first match since beating Roger Federer in the Australian Open final, wasted 12 break points, including two match points in the 10th game of the final set but converted his third two games later.

In doubles action, India’s Leander Paes and Lukas Dlouhy beat Igor Andreev and Marcin Matkowski 6-2, 6-1 to enter the semifinals.

At the SAP Open in San Jose, last year’s runner-up Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic outlasted Chris Guccione of Australia 6-2, 7-6(1) to reach the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Tommy Haas of Germany could meet defending champion Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals after beating Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 7-5 with 18 aces. In a first-round match, sixth-seeded Sam Querrey of the United States edged Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5).

The results: At Pattaya (Pattaya Open): Singles: Second round: Sania Mirza bt Vitalia Diatchenko 6-4, 6-0; Vera Zvonareva bt Yaroslava Shvedova 6-4, 6-4; Shahar Peer bt Yulia Beyzelgimer 6-4, 6-1; Tamarine Tanasugarn bt Neuza Silva 6-3, 6-2.

At Rotterdam (ABN Amro Open): Singles: Second round: Mario Ancic bt Gilles Simon 6-4, 3-6, 6-3; Mikhail Youzhny bt David Ferrer 6-2, 3-6, 6-2; Julien Benneteau bt Nikolay Davydenko 6-3, 6-2. First round: Rafael Nadal bt Simone Bolelli 4-6, 6-2, 7-5; Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bt Jesse Huta Galung 7-6(4), 7-6(4); Marc Gicquel bt Evgeny Korolev 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Michael Llodra bt Ivo Karlovic 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

Doubles: Quarterfinals: Lukas Dlouhy & Leander Paes bt Igor Andreev & Marcin Matkowski 6-2, 6-1.

At Paris (Paris Open): Second round: Emilie Loit bt Kaia Kanepi 2-6, 6-3, 6-1; Agnieszka Radwanska bt Alisa Kleybanova 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-2.

First round: Amelie Mauresmo bt Sara Errani 6-2, 6-0; Patty Schnyder bt Alona Bondarenko 6-4, 7-6(3); Elena Dementieva bt Aravane Rezai 6-4, 6-3; Jelena Jankovic bt Francesca Schiavone 7-5, 7-6(2).

At San Jose (SAP Open): Second round: Radek Stepanek bt Chris Guccione 6-2, 7-6(1); Tommy Haas bt Christophe Rochus 6-2, 7-5. First round: John Isner bt Ramon Delgado 7-6(9), 6-4; Sam Querrey bt Marcos Baghatis 6-3, 5-7, 7-6(5); Juan Martin Del Potro bt Andrea Stoppini 7-6(5), 7-6(5); James Blake bt Vincent Spadea 6-3, 6-4.

At Costa Do Sauipe (Brasil Open): Second round: Nicolas Almagro bt Martin Vasallo Arg|ello 6-4, 6-4; Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Brian Badul 6-1, 6-2; Eduardo Schwank bt Rui Machado 2-6, 7-6(4), 7-6(6); Jose Acasuso bt Pablo Cuevas 6-3, 6-2; Tommy Robredo bt Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-2; Alberto Martin bt Nicolas Devilder 6-2, 7-6(4); Thomas Bellucci bt Lukasz Kubot 5-7, 6-4, 6-4; Frederico Gil bt Marcel Granollers 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. — Agencies

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