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Fish upsets odds to defeat Ancic at the Heineken Open

Unfancied US player Mardy Fish advanced to the quarter-finals of the Heineken Open yesterday with a surprise win over Croatian second seed Mario Ancic.

World number nine Ancic was below his best, going down 6-4, 6-4 to Fish, ranked 36 places below his opponent.

"It has been a while since I've beaten someone in the top 10," the delighted Fish said later.

"I lost a lot 7-5 and 7-6 in the third and fourth sets against top 20 players without getting over the hump. This wasn't such a close one but it definitely felt like it," he added.

Ancic's booming serve was broken three times by Fish and last year's beaten finalist could only grab back one service break against his opponent.

"I wasn't serving that well and I'm still not feeling that confident on the court with moving and hitting," Ancic said.

He also praised the greater consistency of his opponent.

"I think he was serving well, returning very well and he didn't give me any chances to come back."

Top seed Tommy Robredo of Spain easily disposed of countryman Alberto Martin 6-4, 6-2 and third seed David Ferrer, also of Spain, thrashed Italian Daniele Bracciali 6-0, 6-1.

Kristof Vliegen of Belgium sneaked home 7-6, 2-6, 7-5 over Spain's Nicolas Almagro and seventh seed Agustin Calleri of Argentina beat Florent Serra of France 6-4, 6-1.

Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina beat Nicolas Massu of Chile 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.
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