Nadal breezes into third round, Agassi also wins
(China Daily)
Updated: 2005-08-12 06:20

MONTREAL: Spanish top seed Rafael Nadal cruised into the third round of the rain-disrupted US$2.45 million ATP Masters Series tournament on Wednesday with a straight-sets win over Brazil's Ricardo Mello.

After an afternoon interspersed with thunder and lightning and a rain delay of more than three hours prior to his night match, French Open champion Nadal made quick work of Mello 6-1, 6-2.

The 19-year-old Spaniard will next meet France's Sebastien Grosjean, who beat Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in one of two all-French battles of the day.

Gasquet, 19, held a 5-3 lead when rain stopped play, but couldn't maintain the momentum.

American Andre Agassi, seeded fourth, booked his third-round berth before the worst of the weather, downing Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. Agassi, 35, next faces Nicolas Kiefer of Germany.

Kiefer beat the only other American left in the draw, Taylor Dent, 6-4, 6-4.

"That's going to be a tough match," Agassi, a three-time champion here, said of the German:

"These are tough conditions, quick courts, windy. He's a quick-court kind of player. He uses the pace really well, moves the ball around, moves exceptionally well, counterpunches really well, too. I'm going to have my hands full. I'm going to have to be hitting my shots and not hesitating."

Canadian-born Briton Greg Rusedski also advanced, edging Max Mirnyi of Belarus 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

For the first time since leaving Canada for Great Britain, Rusedski received a warm welcome from the Montreal crowd, which finally seemed to have forgiven his desertion.

"I was really pleased," Rusedski said. "As I say, I had ups and downs in my career. The older you get, time passes on, people forgive and move on. It was really nice. I enjoyed the reception I got and the support from the public. It was great."

In the third round, Rusedski will face Mario Ancic of Croatia, who defeated French qualifier Florent Serra 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.

Serra had reached the second round when second seed Leyton Hewitt of Australia retired with a stomach bug on Tuesday.

Third-seed American Andy Roddick was upset in a night match losing to Paul-Henri Mathieu of France, 7-5, 6-3.

Mathieu held a 3-1 lead over compatriot Arnaud Clement late Wednesday afternoon when rain suspended play and went on to post a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory.

Fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia moved on with a 5-7, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Czech Tomas Berdych.

Sixth-seeded Argentinian Gaston Gaudio defeated Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark 3-6, 6-2, 7-5.

(China Daily 08/12/2005 page15)

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