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Safin sparks as Ivanovic escapes

Ana Ivanovic of Serbia plays against Nathalie Dechy of France in their second-round Wimbledon match at the All England Tennis Club in London on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Former world No. 1 Marat Safin sent third seed Novak Djokovic crashing out of Wimbledon on Wednesday, while Serbian compatriot Ana Ivanovic narrowly escaped the same All England Club black hole.

Safin, a US Open and Australian Open champion during his glory days before a slump sent his career into freefall, stunned the 21-year-old world No. 3 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2 with a magical Centre Court display.

On Court One, women’s top seed Ivanovic, buoyed by her French Open triumph, had to save two match points in extraordinary circumstances to see off France’s experienced Nathalie Dechy 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/3), 10-8.

There were no such dramas for five-time men’s champion Roger Federer, who eased into the last 32 with a 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3) win over Robin Soderling.

It was the world No. 1’s seventh win in seven meetings with the 23-year-old Swede and the comfortable manner of his victory would have been aided by having seen dangerman Djokovic removed from his side of the draw. Federer will next meet France’s Marc Gicquel for a place in the fourth round.

Russia's Marat Safin returns the ball to his Serbian opponent Novak Djokovic during their second-round match at Wimbledon in London on Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

Reigning Australian Open Djo­kovic, who had reached the third round at least in his last nine Grand Slam appearances, sent down 10 double faults and 28 unforced errors.

Safin goes on to face Italian 29th seed Andreas Seppi for a place in the last 16.

Djokovic was almost joined on the scrapheap by world No. 1 Ivanovic, who saw off 29-year-old Dechy in a three-and-a-half-hour thriller and will now face China’s Zheng Jie for a place in the fourth round.

France's Amelie Mauresmo returns the ball to Spain's Virginia Ruano Pascual in their second-round Wimbledon match in London on Wednesday. PHOTO: AP

Ivanovic admitted that she was fortunate to escape after a lucky netcord on the second match point in the 10th game of the second set saw the ball flop onto Dechy’s side of the net.

“She played very well. When I saw the ball roll over the net on the second match point, I thought that was my second chance,” Ivanovic said. “My heart missed a beat when it went on the other side.”

Dechy, playing in her 13th successive Wimbledon, said she wept for an hour after the match.

“Maybe she can play the lottery today, it will be her lucky day,” the 29-year-old Frenchwoman said.

Former double champion Serena Williams moved on with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Polish teenager Urszula Radwanska and will next face 2006 champion Amelie Mauresmo of France. Mauresmo defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

Australia’s 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt saw off Spain’s Albert Montanes 7-6 (7/4), 6-0, 6-2 and will face Italy’s Simone Bolelli, who put out Chilean 15th seed Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (9/7), 3-6, 7-6 (7/4). Spanish fifth seed David Ferrer defeated Russia’s Igor Andreev 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-2.

In the first round of the women’s doubles, Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan and US player Mashona Washington were beaten 6-1, 6-2 by Yaroslava Shvedova of Russia and Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand.

Taiwan’s Chan Yung-jan and Chuang Chia-jung lost 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 to Akgul Amanmuradova of Uzbekistan and Darya Kustova of Belarus.

Former Wimbledon champion Lindsay Davenport was forced to withdraw yesterday because of a knee injury, organizers said.

Davenport had been due to face Argentina’s Gisela Dulko in the second round. Dulko receives a walkover into the last 16, where she will play either Russia’s Elena Dementieva or Timea Bacsinszky of Switzerland.
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