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Aussies overpower Taiwan on day one

Lu Yen-hsun stretches to return the ball to Chris Guccione during their Davis Cup match in Kaohsiung yesterday. Guccione won 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 7-6 (11-9). PHOTO: HUANG CHIH-YUAN, TAIPEI TIMES

Lleyton Hewitt and Chris Guccione scored straight-set wins yesterday to power Australia to a 2-0 lead over Taiwan in their Asia/Oceania Zone Group I first-round Davis Cup tie.

Hewitt, ranked 22nd in the world, outclassed Chen Ti (270) 6-4, 6-0, 6-3 in the opening match on hardcourt at the Yangming Tennis Stadium in Kaohsiung, while Guccione (86) turned backed a stiff challenge from Lu Yen-hsun (108) to prevail 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, 7-6 (11-9).

Hewitt was content to stay on the baseline against Chen, whose numerous unforced errors undermined an otherwise creditable groundstroke display.

Guccione struggled with his groundstrokes against the nimbler and more consistent Lu, but the tall Australian's formidable serve -- he was never broken -- got him to tiebreakers in the first and third sets, where he was able to finish off his opponent.

In doubles action today, Hewitt and Paul Hanley are scheduled to go up against Lu and Jimmy Wang.

Taiwan's Chen Ti returns the ball to Australia's Lleyton Hewitt during their Davis Cup match in Kaohsiung yesterday. PHOTO: HUANG CHIH-YUAN, TAIPEI TIMES

In other Davis Cup results yesterday, it was:

India 1, Uzbekistan 1

Singles

Rohan Bopanna, India, def. Farrukh Dustov, Uzbekistan, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1.

Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, defeated Somdev Varman, India, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

Thailand 1, Kazakhstan 1

Singles

Danai Udomchoke, Thailand, defeated Alexey Kedryuk, Kazakhstan, 7-6 (8), 6-1, 7-5.

Syrym Abdulkhalikov, Kazakhstan, defeated Weerapat Doakmaiklee, Thailand 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (5)

Japan 2, Philippines 0

Singles

Go Soeda, Japan, def. Patrick John Tierro, Philippines, 6-1, 4-6, 6-2, 2-6, 6-4.

Takao Suzuki, Japan, def. Cecil Mamiit, Philippines, 7-5, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-2.

■ PATTAYA

AP, PATTAYA, THAILAND

Top-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska advanced yesterday to the quarter-finals of the US$170,000 Pattaya Women's Open with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over former champion Anne Kremer.

The 18-year-old Pole, a quarter-finalist in last month's Australian Open who is ranked No. 21 in the world, delivered a mix of drop shots, lobs and spins to beat the tournament's 2000 winner in one hour, 23 minutes.

"The score looked easy but it wasn't," Radwanska said. "I took a lead 3-0 but then she came back at 2-3 and almost made it 3-3. But then I played more aggressive and I won long deuces at 3-2 in the first set and 4-1 in the second, which was important."

In an upset, Slovenian Andreja Klepac, ranked just 145 in the world, played an aggressive baseline game to overwhelm second seed Casey Dellacqua of Australia 7-5, 2-6, 6-2 in one hour, 49 minutes.

"I'm happy with this win. I played good tennis, but the second set I made a few mistakes and didn't serve well. I concentrated again and served better in the third," the 21-year-old winner said.

In another second-round upset, Russian qualifier Vesna Manasieva chalked up a 6-2, 6-1 win over third seed Angelique Kerber of Germany in just 74 minutes.

Fourth-seeded Chan Yung-jan of Taiwan also advanced to the third round by beating Lilia Osterloh of the US, 6-4, 6-2.

Russian Ekaterina Bychkova's 6-4, 6-4 victory over India's Sunitha Rao set up the winner for a quarter-final match against Manasieva, while Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn was headed for a match-up against Radwanska after defeating Russia's Olga Poutchkova 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Jill Craybas of the US came back from losing the first set to beat Renata Voracova of the Czech Republic 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 and make a third round appointment with Klepac.

Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan defeated fifth seed Tzipora Obziler of Israel 6-4, 6-2 and will face Chan in the quarter-finals.

■ GAZ DE FRANCE OPEN

AP, PARIS

Amelie Mauresmo of France needed less than 10 minutes on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals of the Gaz de France Open, advancing when Eleni Daniilidou quit the match because of the flu.

The sixth-seeded Mauresmo jumped ahead 3-0 on Daniilidou before the 36th-ranked Greek had to retire.

"Unfortunately, last night I got a viral illness and had absolutely no energy to play at 100 percent," Daniilidou said.

The victory sent Mauresmo into the final eight along with Anna Chakvetadze, Daniela Hantuchova, Marion Bartoli, Virginie Razzano, and Kateryna Bondarenko.

"I noticed that her legs were a bit stiff and her reaction times were slow," Mauresmo said.

Mauresmo will next face Chakvetadze, who routed Nathalie Dechy of France 6-1, 6-3.

The top-seeded Russian converted her first match point when Dechy hit a backhand wide.

"I actually didn't expect it would be so easy," Chakvetadze said. "Nathalie definitely didn't play her best."

Chakvetadze broke Dechy three times in the first set and did face a break point despite landing only 31 percent of her first serves.

The US Open semi-finalist broke Dechy for a 3-0 lead in the second set, but the Frenchwoman leveled at 3-3 after Chakvetadze made several unforced errors.

"I lost my concentration a bit," said Chakvetadze, who had a bye in the first round. "For a first match, I think it's OK."

Hantuchova outlasted Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 to play Agnes Szavay of Hungary.

The second-seeded Slovakian unleashed a crosscourt backhand winner on her first match point.

Hantuchova fought off three break points in the third set before breaking Srebotnik at 4-3 with a volley at the net.

Hantuchova dominated the first set with six aces and did not face a break point.
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