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Defending champion Moya ousted in first round of Cincinnati Masters series
Cincinnati, Aug 13: Defending champion Carlos Moya and twice former winner Michael Chang`s challenges imploded in startling but similar fashion in the first round of the 2.45 million dollar Cincinnati Masters series.
Cincinnati, Aug 13: Defending champion Carlos Moya and twice former winner Michael Chang's challenges imploded in startling but similar fashion in the first round of the 2.45 million dollar Cincinnati Masters series.
Moya, the Spanish world number seven and fourth seed here, was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 by Frenchman Fabrice Santoro. Chang, drawing closer to retirement, spurned a match point in his 4-6 7-6 6-0 defeat by Moroccan qualifier Hicham Arazi.
Elsewhere, sixth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina struggled past Britain's Tim Henman 6-3 4-6 6-4 and American James Blake posted a 6-1 7-6 victory over South Africa's Wayne Ferreira.
In the night matches, Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez beat American Brian Vahaly 7-5 6-2 and Todd Martin of the US eased past Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-3 6-4.
Moya's form in the opening set against Santoro gave no indication of the demise which was to follow Monday.
However, as soon as he had surrendered a break at the start of the second set, Moya's negative, hangdog expression surfaced. Santoro, relying on his unorthodox style and sheer persistence against one of the game's finest shotmakers, would have inflicted further embarrassment if he had not found difficulty in closing out the match from 5-1 up in the final set.
Moya, who beat Lleyton Hewitt in last year's Cincinnati final, has now lost three first-round matches in succession following his tournament win in Umag, Croatia, last month.
''There is no excuse,'' he told reporters after his defeat. ''I played very poorly...I can give no reason why.
''This is a low point in my year. I'm down now but I have to work hard to get ready for the US Open.''
Bureau Report
Moya, the Spanish world number seven and fourth seed here, was beaten 3-6 6-3 6-4 by Frenchman Fabrice Santoro. Chang, drawing closer to retirement, spurned a match point in his 4-6 7-6 6-0 defeat by Moroccan qualifier Hicham Arazi.
Elsewhere, sixth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina struggled past Britain's Tim Henman 6-3 4-6 6-4 and American James Blake posted a 6-1 7-6 victory over South Africa's Wayne Ferreira.
In the night matches, Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez beat American Brian Vahaly 7-5 6-2 and Todd Martin of the US eased past Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-3 6-4.
Moya's form in the opening set against Santoro gave no indication of the demise which was to follow Monday.
However, as soon as he had surrendered a break at the start of the second set, Moya's negative, hangdog expression surfaced. Santoro, relying on his unorthodox style and sheer persistence against one of the game's finest shotmakers, would have inflicted further embarrassment if he had not found difficulty in closing out the match from 5-1 up in the final set.
Moya, who beat Lleyton Hewitt in last year's Cincinnati final, has now lost three first-round matches in succession following his tournament win in Umag, Croatia, last month.
''There is no excuse,'' he told reporters after his defeat. ''I played very poorly...I can give no reason why.
''This is a low point in my year. I'm down now but I have to work hard to get ready for the US Open.''
Bureau Report