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Santoro outlasts Dancevic

Frank Dancevic reacts after losing a point during his match against Fabrice Santoro at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships in Newport, Rhode Island, on Thursday. PHOTO: AP

Fourth-seeded Fabrice Santoro wore down Frank Dancevic in a 6-7 (6), 6-3, 6-4 victory that put him in the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships quarter-finals on Thursday.

Santoro joined another French player, fifth-seeded Nicolas Mahut, who beat countryman Antony Dupuis 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1. At the Swiss Open, four French players made up the final eight. Two are in the quarters on Newport's grass courts.

Santoro, 34, in his 19th season on the tour and ranked 68th in the world, relied on two-handed backhands and forehands with numerous slices to overcome the powerful serve of Dancevic while battling heat exhaustion.

"It was just the heat," said Santoro, who was treated by trainers during the match. "I came over from Europe Monday night and I was tired."

Dancevic, the top Canadian player, agreed that Santoro's style can frustrate players.

"He's very tough to play. He's crafty," Dancevic said. "He just breaks guys down. That's why he's stayed in the top 50 for so many years."

In the opening set Santoro was overpowered by Dancevic's serve, winning points on just 14 percent of first-serve returns. But he recovered in the second.
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