GSTAAD, Switzerland, 8 July 2005 - Chilean seventh seed Nicolas Massu reached his first quarterfinal of the year yesterday with a second-round Swiss Open win over Czech Jan Hernych.
Massu, who underwent a hernia operation at the end of 2004 before missing three months of this season with rib and foot injuries, needed two hours and 17 minutes to see off Hernych 7-5 2-6 6-4. “It’s been a really tough year for me,” said Massu.
Playing through steady drizzle in Gstaad, the 25-year-old double Olympic champion relied on a string of powerful strokes from the baseline to eventually get the better of his opponent.
“It was difficult because the court was so slippery today, but obviously the organizers are doing their best to get the tournament completed,” Massu said.
Seeking his first tournament victory since clinching the Olympic singles and doubles titles in Athens last August, the Chilean will now face Luis Horna in the last eight.
The Peruvian world No. 53 booked his own place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Italy’s Alessio Di Mauro.
Local favorite Stanislas Wawrinka also made it through to the quarters after completing a thrilling 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 win over Spain’s Fernando Verdasco.
Carrying Swiss hopes at the tournament in the absence of world No. 1 Roger Federer, the 20-year-old from Lausanne came back from 5-1 down in the final set tiebreak and successfully defended three match points before wrapping up his victory.
The Swiss No. 2, a former junior French Open winner who shares fitness trainer Pierre Paganini with Federer, will now fancy his chances against Czech qualifier Frantisek Cermak.
Ranked 413th in the world, Cermak pulled off the biggest upset of the day with a 6-7, 6-4, 6-4 win over compatriot and third seed Radek Stepanek.
Top Seed Nadal Sets Up Quarterfinal With Ferrero
In Bastad, Sweden, top seed Rafael Nadal outgunned compatriot Alberto Martin 6-2, 6-4 yesterday to set up an all-Spanish quarterfinal with Juan Carlos Ferrero at the claycourt Swedish Open.
The French Open champion, playing in his trademark sleeveless shirt, dominated the first set but had to work hard in the second where he fought off several break points at 4-3 and at 5-4 when serving for the match.
“In the first set I played really well but I lost a little bit of my concentration in the second,” said Nadal who is chasing his seventh title this season.
Nadal expects tougher opposition from Ferrero, the 2003 French Open champion, who beat Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, another Spaniard, 6-3, 6-4.
“He’s one of the best in the world on clay so I hope to play my best tomorrow. I will have to be aggressive,” said Nadal.
Nadal has beaten Ferrero twice this year, in Valencia and in the Barcelona final where he beat him in straight sets.
“Tomorrow for me against Nadal it’s going to be a lot of rallies,” said Ferrero who last year finished out of the top 30 for the first time in five years.
