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Canas makes last 16 in Tata Open
Chennai, Jan 01: Top-seed and reigning champion Guillermo Canas of Argentina overcame an indifferent start before moving into the pre-quarterfinals, even as fifth-seed Andrei Pavel of Romania was left flabbergasted by little known German Tomas Behrend in the Tata Open Tennis Championship at the SAF Games Tennis stadium here yesterday.
Chennai, Jan 01: Top-seed and reigning champion Guillermo Canas of Argentina overcame an indifferent start before moving into the pre-quarterfinals, even as fifth-seed Andrei Pavel of Romania was left flabbergasted by little known German Tomas Behrend in the Tata Open Tennis Championship at the SAF Games Tennis stadium here yesterday.
In a scrappy first-round encounter that lasted a shade less than two hours, Canas, who finished 15th in the 2002 champions race, dropped the first set before prevailing over the big-serving Belgian Dick Norman 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Tomas Behrend, who had earlier beaten the Romanian twice, once again tightened his noose winning 6-3, 6-3 in a surprisingly one-sided contest. Pavel, no stranger to the fans of Chennai, failed to rise to the occasion against the German, who had the feel of the surface, having coming through the qualifying rounds.
Joining Canas and Behrend in the last 16 was lucky-loser Noam Okun of Israel, who was fitted into the main draw following the withdrawal of third-seed Sjeng Schalkan of the Netherlands (due to wrist injury), Spaniard Albert Montanes and Dutchman John Van Lottum. While the Israeli packed off Juan Balcells of Spain 7-5, 6-4 in two tough sets, Albert Montanes wore down a spirited challenge from Frenchman Michal Llodra 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4. In the other first round match, John Van Lottum humbled Olivier Patience of France 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
Bureau Report
In a scrappy first-round encounter that lasted a shade less than two hours, Canas, who finished 15th in the 2002 champions race, dropped the first set before prevailing over the big-serving Belgian Dick Norman 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Tomas Behrend, who had earlier beaten the Romanian twice, once again tightened his noose winning 6-3, 6-3 in a surprisingly one-sided contest. Pavel, no stranger to the fans of Chennai, failed to rise to the occasion against the German, who had the feel of the surface, having coming through the qualifying rounds.
Joining Canas and Behrend in the last 16 was lucky-loser Noam Okun of Israel, who was fitted into the main draw following the withdrawal of third-seed Sjeng Schalkan of the Netherlands (due to wrist injury), Spaniard Albert Montanes and Dutchman John Van Lottum. While the Israeli packed off Juan Balcells of Spain 7-5, 6-4 in two tough sets, Albert Montanes wore down a spirited challenge from Frenchman Michal Llodra 7-6 (8-6), 1-6, 6-4. In the other first round match, John Van Lottum humbled Olivier Patience of France 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
Bureau Report