TOKYO, 6 October 2005 — Argentinian top seed Mariano Puerta shrugged off doping allegations to post a solid 6-3, 6-4 win over American qualifier Eric Taino at the Japan Open yesterday.
The French Open finalist, who has denied a French newspaper report that he tested positive for a stimulant at Roland Garros, was focusing instead on winning a berth at the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup in Shanghai.
“I was very, very tired last week,” Puerta said of his dismal 1-6, 0-6 Vietnam Open semifinal capitulation to eventual winner Jonas Bjorkman. “But with this victory, I can forget everything about it. I’m happy about this win today. I’m the top seed. I’m determined to reach the finals here, it’s important for me to make a berth in the Masters in Shanghai. I’m working hard on it.” ATP officials here refused to comment on the report in sports daily L’Equipe that Puerta tested positive for a stimulant at the French Open in June.
“The ATP does not discuss doping cases until a decision by an independent tribunal is rendered,” ATP spokesman Pete Holterman said.
“As a matter of fact, Alex Bogomolov’s case in Acapulco needed eight months and ended in September. It takes a long time. We have nothing to say right now.” Puerta is currently ranked 10th in the standings for the elite eight-men championships in Shanghai in November, 22 points behind his compatriot and last year’s French Open champion Gaston Gaudio.
Third seed American Robby Ginepri, the US Open semifinalist last month, booked his place in the third round by beating Alexander Popp of Germany 6-4, 6-0. Both Puerta and Ginepri received first-round byes.
Thai ace Paradorn Srichaphan saw off an unexpected challenge from Japanese wild card Takahiro Terachi to advance to the third round of the rain-hit Japan Open 6-1, 6-4 yesterday.
Paradorn allowed Terachi to hold only one game in the first set but, after going a break up in the second, was broken back for 3-3. However, the 431st-ranked Japanese lost his next service game and Paradorn held his next two for the match. Asia’s No. 1, who also received a first-round bye, blamed his erratic form on heavy rain which restricted play and warm-ups to the covered center court.
In the third round Paradorn will take on either Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen, seeded seven, or 2003 champion Rainer Schuttler of Germany, whose match was postponed until today.
French teenager Tatiana Golovin avenged her loss in the Australian Open in January by beating American Abigail Spears 6-4, 6-2 to reach the women’s singles second round.
No Drug Problem in Women’s
Tennis, Says Davenport
In Filderstadt, Germany, Lindsay Davenport is convinced there is no drug problem in women’s tennis despite the sport being rocked this week by another allegation.
French newspaper L’Equipe reported that Argentine Mariano Puerta had failed a drugs test, something he strenuously denies.
“I don’t recall anyone right now who has tested positive on the women’s tour,” American Davenport told reporters after beginning the defense of her Filderstadt Grand Prix title with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Italian Francesca Schiavone yesterday.
“I can name probably five or six men that have recently, so I’d have to say from those stats that I don’t think it’s a problem in the women’s game,” the world number two added.
“It’s unbelievable. It seems that a lot of the players from Argentina are testing positive. I don’t know exactly what that means, but I think it’s terrible.” Top seed Davenport took just 54 minutes to sweep aside Schiavone in the second round, serving seven aces and dominating the match from the baseline.
“It felt great,” Davenport said. “I feel like I didn’t allow her to do too much with her game, and I was hitting a lot of winners and stepping in and hitting the ball hard.”
