Tipsarevic 1st into Thailand Open quarterfinals

BANGKOK: Top-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia was first into the Thailand Open quarterfinals after beating Japanese qualifier Hiroki Moriya 6-4, 6-4 yesterday.
Making his debut in Thailand, Tipsarevic, who had a first-round bye, broke Moriya once in each set.
“I expected a tough battle,” Tipsarevic said. “I saw him play in the US Open from the qualifying round. He also beat Robin Haase in the first round here, so I knew there would be no walk in the park. I should have won easily as I had break points in both sets. But I’m happy to win in straight sets.”
Tipsarevic hopes to win his second title of the year in Impact Arena to boost his hopes of qualifying for the eight-man ATP Finals. He’s ranked No. 9.
Gael Monfils’ fine return from injury extended to the second round after he beat South African qualifier Kevin Anderson 6-4, 2-6, 7-5.
Monfils came back last week from nearly four months out with a right knee injury and reached the semifinals in Metz in his French homeland. On Wednesday, he blew a 3-1 lead in the third set, Anderson went ahead 5-4, but Monfils won the last three games to move on.
“I didn’t play big tennis, just good enough to win. That’s the good thing,” Monfils said. “I need more time to be good and confident.”
Go Soeda of Japan beat local wild card Danai Udomchoke 6-4, 7-5 for a fourth straight time, and Ivo Karlovic of Croatia defeated Marinko Matosevic of Australia 6-3 6-4.
Davydenko says he’s not retiring yet
In Kuala Lumpur, Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko yeseterday said he had no plans to quit tennis despite dropping down the rankings and drastically reducing his schedule.
The 31-year-old, who won the inaugural Malaysian Open in 2009, was speaking after reaching the second round of this year’s tournament with a 7-5, 6-4 win over India’s Sanam Singh.
Davydenko rose to world number three on the back of a hectic schedule which saw him play nearly 100 matches in 2006. But Davydenko, now ranked 44, said he was now content just stay in the top 50. He has lost half of his 40 matches this year.
“I don’t want to push myself any more. I am happy to maintain my top 50 ranking and enjoy tennis,” he said in Kuala Lumpur.
“My wrist injury (suffered in 2010) has fully recovered, but at this age it is not easy staying fit throughout the entire year.”
Davydenko will meet next Denis Istomin after the Uzbek upset sixth seed Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-3, 6-2. And the Russian admitted he would have to improve if wants to repeat his three sets win over Istomin earlier this year in Nice.
“I had great winners at times (on Wednesday) but a couple of silly mistakes followed. If I play like how I did today, then I have no chance of beating Istomin,” he said.
Meanwhile, young Canadian Vasek Pospisil reached his first ever ATP quarterfinals when he defeated American Michael Yani 6-3, 7-5.
“This is the first time I’ve reached an ATP quarter-finals so, I’m obviously delighted. I had an opportunity early in the second set but I didn’t take it. He improved his game and it was tough from there on,” said the 22-year-old.
Pospisil, ranked 122 in the world, will likely face second seeded Argentinean world number 11 Juan Monaco, who will make his Malaysian Open debut against wild card entrant Jimmy Wang of Taiwan on Thursday.
“I’ve never played Jimmy but lost to Monaco once in straight sets in Canada this year,” Pospisil said.