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Puerta crashes out after doping claims

Mariano Puerta of Argentina returns the ball during his match against Eric Taino of the US in Tokyo on Wednesday. Puerto won 6-3,6-4. PHOTO: EPA

Top-seeded Mariano Puerta of Argentina crashed out of the Japan Open yesterday, a day after denying allegations of doping.

Unseeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus upset world No. 10 Puerta 6-2, 6-7(11), 7-5 in the third round at Ariake Colloseum.

The French sports newspaper L'Equipe reported on Wednesday that Puerta tested positive for a banned drug following his loss in the French Open final and faces a possible life ban for a second doping offense.

He tested positive for the stimulant etilefrine after his four-set loss to Spain's Rafael Nadal in the June 5 final, L'Equipe reported, without citing sources.

Puerta, who denied the accusations on Wednesday, served a nine-month suspension after testing positive for clenbuterol in February 2003 at an ATP tournament in Chile.

Puerta looked off his game in the first set yesterday and was broken twice. But he fought back in the second set when Baghdatis had three match points.

Baghdatis closed out the match by breaking in the final game and will face Mario Ancic of Croatia in the quarterfinals.

In other matches, third-seeded American Robby Ginepri defeated Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the final eight and will next face Bjorn Phau after the German cruised past Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 6-1, 6-2.

Second-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic beat compatriot Jiri Vanek 7-5, 6-4 in a second round match, while American Taylor Dent, the tournament's fourth-seeded player, posted a 6-3, 7-6 (3) win over Russia's Dmitry Tursunov and fifth-seeded Croatian Mario Ancic defeated Cyril Saulnier of France, 6-2, 6-1.

In other second-round matches, fifth-seeded Mario Ancic of Croatia rebounded from a shaky first set to defeat American Jan-Michael Gambill 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, No. 7 Jarkko Nieminen of Finland downed German Rainer Schuettler 6-1, 6-1, Peru's Luis Horna edged Roko Karanusic of Croatia 6-2, 7-5 and Australian Wayne Arthurs rallied to upset Juan Monaco of Argentina, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4.

In women's play, top-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia downed Israel's Shahar Peer 6-3, 7-5 to book her place in the quarterfinals.

Zvonareva will face India's Sania Mirza in the quarterfinals. Mirza defeated Japan's Aiko Nakamura 6-1, 6-1.

Second-seeded Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic also moved on to the quarterfinals after a 6-4, 6-2 win over Japan's Rika Fujiwara, while French No. 3 Tatiana Golovin and fourth-seeded Russian Maria Kirilenko also advanced to the final eight along with Japan's Ai Sugiyama and Sofia Arvidsson.

Top-seeded Lindsay Davenport advanced in straight sets on Wednesday at the Porsche Grand Prix, and Justine Henin-Hardenne was upset after a three-week break from the WTA Tour.

Davenport overpowered Italy's Francesca Schiavone 6-2, 6-2 to reach the quarterfinals and was joined by Flavia Pennetta, who beat Henin-Hardenne, 6-4, 6-3.

Henin-Hardenne, the French Open champion, fell in 78 minutes to the 30th-ranked Pennetta.

"I wasn't feeling very well," Henin-Hardenne said. "She fought very hard and she just kept running."

It was the first time the four-time grand slam winner was beaten in her opening match at an event since Wimbledon, where Greece's Eleni Daniilidou prevailed in three sets.

Davenport needed just 53 minutes to advance, using her power to drive Schiavone around the court while landing 63 percent of her first serves.

"I played very well today," Davenport said.

"Schiavone can be tough, but I didn't let her play her game today. Hopefully, I can improve every match and win this event," she said.

Davenport, a two-time champion here, is looking for her 50th career singles title.

Davenport next will face Anastasia Myskina, who needed 2 hours, 41 minutes to win a baseline duel against Dinara Safina, 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 7-5. The two Russians are close friends.

"When we are on the court we forget that," Myskina said. "It was a great match -- she played incredible today."

Daniela Hantuchova also beat 10th-ranked Patty Schnyder, 6-4, 6-3.

The Slovak's shots down the line gave her a 30-10 advantage in winners.

Hantuchova, who was 31st in the WTA Tour rankings at the end of last season, has recovered to climb to 20th. In 2003, she was ranked fifth.

"I'm much more aware of what I'm doing on the court these days," she said. "I want to be back in the top 10."

Nadia Petrova, the sixth seed, won a first-round match against Anna-Lena Groenefeld of Germany, 6-3, 6-2.

US Open champion Kim Clijsters, seeded second, was to open her bid to take over the top ranking yesterday against Croatia's Karolina Sprem. The Belgian can overtake Maria Sharapova -- who pulled out injured -- by winning her fifth straight tournament.
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