VALENCIA, Spain, 8 April 2005 — Former triple French Open winner Gustavo Kuerten’s comeback from injury ended at the second round stage of the Valencia ATP tournament yesterday when he was beaten by Spain’s Albert Martin 6-2, 6-0.
But Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal, widely tipped as a possible champion at Roland Garros this year, was in awesome form in his 6-1, 6-4 win over Guillermo Garica-Lopez to advance to the quarterfinals.
The 18-year-old from Mallorca, who threw away a two sets and 4-1 lead over world number one Roger Federer in the final of the Miami Masters last weekend, wrapped up the first set in 44 minutes.
In the second, Nadal broke Garcia-Lopez’s serve in the first game and held on to win 6-4.
Nadal now has his sights set on a third title of the season after winning the clay court titles in Costa du Sauipe and Acapulco and is now 12-1 on clay this year (24-5 overall).
He now faces Russia’s Igor Andreev for a place in the semifinals while reaching the last four here, he has moved into the third spot in the Champions Race behind Federer and Lleyton Hewitt.Earlier Martin took just 50 minutes to dispose of Kuerten.
Kuerten, absent from the tour for six months after undergoing a second hip operation, had beaten fourth-seeded Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-2, 6-4 in the first round but ran out of steam on Thursday.
The 28-year-old Brazilian is also making his comeback without the familiar sight of coach Larri Passos in his corner after the two recently separated following a 15-year partnership.
Davenport Makes Quarters,
Venus Struggling
In Amelia Island, Florida, World No. 1 and defending champion Lindsay Davenport became the first woman into the quarterfinals at the Amelia Island Championship yesterday as she crushed Czech qualifier Kveta Peschke 6-2, 6-2.
The top-seeded American, looking for her third title here, was always on top as she set up a potential showdown with former world No. 1 Venus Williams.
Fifth seed Williams, however, was involved in a real battle with Polish qualifier Marta Domachowska when rain forced the players off in the first game of the third set.
Domachowska played well above her world ranking of 67 as she stunned Williams by taking the first set 6-3, and the American had to battle hard to snatch the second 6-4 and level the match.
With clouds gathering, Davenport cruised through the first set but a slight loss of focus resulted in several errors and Peschke, the world number 79, moved ahead by an early break in the second. The American broke back immediately, reeling off six consecutive games to clinch a convincing victory. Sixth seed Vera Zvonareva won the all-Russian battle with number nine Elena Likhovtseva, going through 6-4, 6-4.
