PARIS, 2 November 2005 — Tomas Berdych upset second-seeded Guillermo Coria 6-4, 6-2 yesterday to reach the third round of the Paris Masters.
Coria needed to win the match to clinch a spot in the Masters Cup in Shanghai, but looked sluggish against the Czech, who is ranked 50th.
A finalist at Bastad and a semifinalist at Washington this season, the 20-year-old Berdych will play either Juan Carlos Ferrero or Stanislas Wawrinka in the next round.
Coria’s qualification for the Nov. 13-20 Masters Cup — featuring the top eight players in the ATP race — depends on other results and eventual withdrawals.
Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Roddick, Marat Safin, Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi have already qualified — but Federer, Nadal and Safin are either injured or recovering from injuries.
Also yesterday, fourth-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina, the French Open runner-up, lost 6-3, 7-6 (9) to Novak Djokovic of Serbia-Montenegro.
“He is going to be a champion one day,” Puerta said of 18-year-old Djokovic.
Last month, French sports daily L’Equipe reported that Puerta tested positive for a the banned stimulant etilefrine following his loss in the French Open final to Rafael Nadal.
Puerta, who previously served a nine-month suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol in February 2003, has denied the accusation.
“I wasn’t nervous about coming here to play in France,” Puerta said. “I’ve achieved a lot this year and now I’m looking to the future. The public has been great. When I stepped out on court, I felt the fans were supporting me.”
Third-seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia eased into the third round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Britain’s Greg Rusedski, the 1998 Paris Masters champion.
Rusedski said he could not figure out how to beat French Open semifinalist Davydenko.
“He’s so good from the back of the court you can’t let him dictate the rallies,” Rusedski said. “But then if you step up, he passes you. I tried to work out the best option, but he was too good.”
Rusedski plans to play a Challenger tournament later this month in Ukraine in a bid to clinch Britain’s top spot ahead of Tim Henman and Andrew Murray.
“I’ve got a shot to try and get that top spot back,” he said.
In remaining first-round matches, Fernando Verdasco of Spain struggled past Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapentti 6-7 (5), 7-5, 7-5 and next plays Robby Ginepri of the United States. Frenchman Arnaud Clement defeated Germany’s Nicolas Kiefer 6-4, 1-6, 7-6 (6).
In a later second-round match, No. 6 Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia faced James Blake of the United States.
Koukalova, Panova Advance to 2nd Round
In Villanova, Pennsylvania, Klara Koukalova of the Czech Republic rallied to beat Ahsha Rolle 0-6, 7-6 (5), 6-3 on Monday in the first round of the Advanta Championships.
“I played so bad early on,” said Koukalova, who lost the first eight games of the match. “I didn’t get in here from Europe until Saturday and I didn’t get a chance to get used to the playing surface. But I just tried to focus on what I had to do.”
Koukalova will face the winner of a match Tuesday between 16-year-old Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic and qualifier Vanessa Henke of Germany. The seventh-seeded Vaidisova has won her last three tournaments.
In other first-round matches at Villanova University, Tatiana Panova of Russia beat eighth-seeded Jelena Jankovic of Serbia-Montenegro 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Angelika Bachmann of Germany led Argentina’s Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-0, 4-1 when Diaz-Oliva retired because of an injury; and Russia’s Yaroslava Shvedova beat Hana Sromova of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-1.
In the night match between two Americans, Mashona Washington defeated Meghann Shaughnessy 6-2, 5-7, 6-2.
Serra Zanetti Advances in Bell Challenge
In Quebec City, fifth-seeded Antonella Serra Zanetti of Italy advanced to the second round of the Bell Challenge on Monday, beating France’s Camille Pin 1-6, 6-1, 7-5.
Canada’s Stephanie Dubois also advanced, upsetting seventh-seeded Jamea Jackson of the United States 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.
In other matches, sixth-seeded Amy Frazier of the United States beat Canada’s Aleksandra Wozniak 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (6). Henrieta Nagyova of Slovakia defeated Croatia’s Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 2-6, 6-4; Britain’s Anne Keothavong routed Michaela Pastikova of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-4; and Russia’s Elena Vesnina beat France’s Severine Bremond 6-3, 7-6 (1).
