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Local hero Paradorn powers into quarters of Thailand Open
Bangkok, Sept 26: Victories for Carlos Moya of Spain and local hero Paradorn Srichapan at the Thailand Open tennis tournament.
Bangkok, Sept 26: Victories for Carlos Moya of Spain and local hero Paradorn Srichapan at the Thailand Open tennis tournament.
Carlos Moya saved a set point on his way to an unconvincing 7-5 6-4 win over American Brian Vahaly to reach the quarter-finals of the Thailand Open on Thursday (September 25).
Vahaly, who beat world number one and French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero at Indian Wells in March, rallied well and took an early lead against the third-seeded Spaniard.
But Moya immediately broke back in the third game and Vahaly had to fight off three break points at 2-2. With Moya looking flat, a careless volley offered Vahaly a break point to lead 5-3, but the Spaniard held off that threat with a smash.
The 24-year-old American held a set point at 5-4, but netted a return and Moya then broke to lead 6-5. A break for 1-0 on his fourth break point gave Moya a lead in the second set, and that was enough to settle the match.
Paradorn Srichaphan won a second nail-biting victory in two days to thrill his local crowd and reach the quarter-finals. The fourth-seeded Thai took two hours seven minutes to overcome Danish left-hander Kenneth Carlsen 6-3 7-6, driving the sell-out crowd of 5,000 into a frenzy when he battled back after dropping the first four points of the tiebreak.
Carlsen protested about the excited yells of the crowd after he went match point down, but that was as much from frustration as anger after he had pushed Paradorn in vain throughout their second round tussle.
The Dane dropped the first set after holding five break points at 3-3 in a marathon game that stretched to eight deuces and 22 points. Paradorn broke for 5-3 with a fine forehand crosscourt volley hit at full stretch and clinched the set.
It took 27 minutes to play out the opening three games of the second set - an indication of the closeness of the contest - and it remained that way until the final point.
Paradorn has reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The 24 year old who two seasons ago was only 120th in the world, is looking to do well enough in the six ATP tournaments remaining in 2003 to make it into the top eight who qualify for the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, Texas.
Bureau Report
The 24-year-old American held a set point at 5-4, but netted a return and Moya then broke to lead 6-5. A break for 1-0 on his fourth break point gave Moya a lead in the second set, and that was enough to settle the match.
Paradorn Srichaphan won a second nail-biting victory in two days to thrill his local crowd and reach the quarter-finals. The fourth-seeded Thai took two hours seven minutes to overcome Danish left-hander Kenneth Carlsen 6-3 7-6, driving the sell-out crowd of 5,000 into a frenzy when he battled back after dropping the first four points of the tiebreak.
Carlsen protested about the excited yells of the crowd after he went match point down, but that was as much from frustration as anger after he had pushed Paradorn in vain throughout their second round tussle.
The Dane dropped the first set after holding five break points at 3-3 in a marathon game that stretched to eight deuces and 22 points. Paradorn broke for 5-3 with a fine forehand crosscourt volley hit at full stretch and clinched the set.
It took 27 minutes to play out the opening three games of the second set - an indication of the closeness of the contest - and it remained that way until the final point.
Paradorn has reached the last 16 at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. The 24 year old who two seasons ago was only 120th in the world, is looking to do well enough in the six ATP tournaments remaining in 2003 to make it into the top eight who qualify for the year-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Houston, Texas.
Bureau Report