KITZBUEHEL, Austria, 23 July 2003 — Defending champion Alex Corretja was bundled out in the second round of the Generali Open yesterday, losing 6-4, 6-4 to rookie Austrian Werner Eschauer.
The 12th seed from Spain looked a shadow of his former self against a player who before this 925,000-euro ($1.05 million) claycourt tournament had not won a single match on the ATP Tour.
Corretja, who also won here in 2000, has been struggling this year. His best result was reaching the quarterfinals at Scottsdale in March. Argentina’s Mariano Zabaleta became the first seed to reach the third round, beating unseeded Victor Hanescu 6-2, 7-5.Ninth-seeded Zabaleta, who won his first title of the year earlier this month at Bastad, wore down the Romanian on the baking clay at this Tyrolean ski resort.
In first-round play, Chilean Nicolas Massu battled past Austria’s number one Stefan Koubek 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to face triple Kitzbuehel winner and 2002 French Open champion Albert Costa in the next round.
But the local fans still have another Austrian to cheer on in the next round. Alex Peya survived a tough 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 fight against Spaniard Galo Blanco.
Spain’s Fernando Verdasco set up a second-round clash with compatriot and French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero after beating France’s Anthony Dupuis 1-6, 7-6, 6-4. Thirteenth seed Feliciano Lopez of Spain reached the third round with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over unseeded Romanian Florin Mergea.
Chang Falls at First Hurdle in Indianapolis
Michael Chang’s first and last appearance in the ATP’s Indianapolis stop was a short one as the US veteran fell in the first round on Monday to compatriot Eric Taino 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.
The 31-year-old Chang, who is only weeks away from playing the final event of his 16-year career at the upcoming US Open, held his own until the last two games of the two-hour, 13-minute match. Still attempting to revive his career after sitting out the last half of the 2002 season with a shoulder injury, 112th-ranked Thomas Enqvist scored a 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-3 first round win over Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic.
In an earlier match, Frenchman Cyril Saulnier set up a second career outing against Andy Roddick after easily beating American qualifier Matthew Behrmann 6-0, 6-3 in a brief 58-minute encounter.
The 101st-ranked Saulnier played Roddick very close when they met earlier this year at Miami, eventually allowing the American the 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 win.
Teenager Bartoli Topples Granville at Stanford
In Palo Alto, California, French teenager Marion Bartoli slugged her way past American Laura Granville 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 on Monday to move into the second round of the Bank of the West Classic.
Returning serve with precision, the 18-year-old Bartoli knocked Granville off her stride on the stadium court at Stanford University where the American once starred as a college champion.
American Amy Frazier also reached the second round with a 6-3, 2-6, 6-1 victory over Zimbabwe’s Cara Black.
Belgian Kim Clijsters, who became the tournament’s top seed when Serena Williams pulled out with a knee injury, received a first-round bye.
