Defending champion Dmitry Tursunov rallied from a 4-1 deficit in the second set to beat doubles partner Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 7-5 at the ATP Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Monday.
The third-seeded California-based Russian said he has no time for expectations, especially after stalling in the wake of a Sydney title six months ago.
“I don’t really feel like the defending champion and I don’t think people expect me to be the guy to win with James [Blake] and [Tommy] Haas in the field,” the laid-back world No. 33 said.
“But in tennis anyone can win a match. Last year, everyone here thought it would be Blake and [Andy] Roddick in the final. Instead it was me and [Canadian] Frank Dancevic,” he said.
Tursunov had no problems rallying past Kunitsyn to win his fourth match out of five in that series, including a US Open first round clash two years ago.
“It’s no trouble playing a friend, you leave that outside of the court,” said Tursunov, known as the class clown on the ATP for his dry, everyday wit.
Tursunov said he was disappointed at not being able to count on his serve during the win.
“I had a very low first serve percentage, but he couldn’t attack me,” he said. “The key for me is not to get upset, I have to try and work things out.”
American Robby Ginepri, the 2005 winner, lost in the first round for the second straight year at Indy, going down to Chile’s Paul Capdeville 6-4, 6-2 as he dropped serve six times.
“I served just awful and played a rotten match,” was the frustrated loser’s brief analysis.
Ginepri’s season has been hit or miss, with a surprise French Open fourth round followed by a second-round loss at Queen’s club to Roddick and a Wimbledon first-round exit at the hands of another Chilean, Fernando Gonzalez.
French second seed Gilles Simon got off to a winning start as he advanced over countryman and 2006 quarter-finalist Nicolas Mahut 6-2, 3-6, 6-3.
“The first set was great for me,” Simon said. “But in the second I was feeling the heat, every short was difficult.”
Simon next faces German Benjamin Becker, who knocked out Dane Kristian Pless 6-3, 6-4.
Becker blasted 10 aces and took advantage of 14 double faults by Pless.
The Dane wasted all six break point opportunities in the opening set against his German opponent in their first career meeting.
Becker landed just 47 percent of his second serves in the second set but was able to break Pless’s serve twice and win the match in one-hour, 25 minutes.
Meanwhile Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan beat American Justin O’Neal in a marathon two-setter, 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (14/12).
Australian Joe Sirianni, a qualifier, got an easy win as Russian Mikhail Ledovskikh hurt an ankle to hand over a 6-3, 1-2 first-round victory.
■ DAVENPORT PULLS OUT
Agencies, STANFORD, california
American Lindsay Davenport pulled out of the WTA Bank of the West Classic on Monday, complaining of a sore right knee.
A three-time winner of the event, Davenport will be replaced in the draw by Australian Samantha Stosur.
“The Bank of the West Classic has been one of my favorite tournaments to play throughout my career,” Davenport said. “Not being able to compete is very disappointing as I’ve been looking forward to playing here all year.”
“Unfortunately my [right] knee has not healed sufficiently since Wimbledon to allow me to compete. I know the fans will still get to enjoy some great tennis and I hope to be back on the courts soon,” she said.
Davenport was scheduled to play eighth-seeded Francesca Schiavone in a first-round match on yesterday and was looking to return to action for the first time since pulling out of her second-round match at Wimbledon.
Davenport won the Bank of the West Classic in 1998, 1999 and 2004.
While Davenport is gone, eight-time Grand Slam champion Serena Williams is in the field and will take the court today for her opening match.
Williams is adamant she does not plan on ending 2008 without a grand slam title or an Olympic gold medal.
“I can’t say I’m pleased with my year because I haven’t won any grand slams this year,” Williams said on Monday. “That’s always been the goal for me.”
“So I have to win something eventually. I feel like I should be able to win for the most part and sometimes I get disgusted because I didn’t make the right shots, or made a lot of errors,” she said.
On Monday, Japan’s Ai Sugiyama, Alisa Kleybanova of Russia and Austrian Sybille Bammer advanced to the sdcond round at Stanford.
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