[Munich]Koubek Continues Winning Ways
Koubek Continues Winning Ways
Roger Federer, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Jarkko Nieminen also find themselves
among the final four in Munich
Friday at the BMW Open in Munich top-seed Roger Federer cruised past No. 6
seed Mikhail Youzny, defeating the Russian 6-2, 6-3. The Swiss has now
improved his record against the Russian to 3-0. Federer has two ATP titles
under his belt this season, and on Saturday he will be among the last four
for the fourth time in 2003.
Stefan Koubek stunned another seed en route to the BMW Open semifinal.
Yesterday he ousted No. 7 seed Tim Henman in straight sets and in the
quarterfinals the Austrian defeated No. 4 seed and crowd favorite Rainer
Schuettler 6-3, 6-4. Before coming to Munich, the 26-year-old Vienna resident
had encountered seven consecutive opening round losses.
No. 5 seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov lost the first set but came back to defeat
third-seed Sjeng Schalken 6-7(2), 7-5, 6-3. It was the 26-year-old Dutchman
that ended Kafelnikov's 28-straight match wins run in the Moscow semifinals
last year. Munich is the Russian's first semifinal since reaching the final
in Milan in February.
Eight-seed Jarkko Nieminen scored a convincing 6-1, 6-1win over Czech Radek
Stepanek to become the first player to qualify for the Munich semifinals.
WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID
Federer: "I felt like this was my best match of this tournament. I missed a
lot less today. I felt an improvement. I concentrated better and I could even
have won easier but I'm happy with the way I won. I could feel I've raised
game."
Kafelnikov: "It was very difficult. Sjeng has been playing well the last
couple of years and shown that he's a top twenty player. I haven't been playing
well lately, for me this is an important tournament."
About his neck
"It's not 100% but it's better than yesterday and I hope it will be even
better tomorrow."
About playing Nieminen
"He's another tough opponent. It's difficult every time we play. He beat me
at the Austrailan Open, then I got my revenge in Milan and I lost again to
him in Monte Carlo. But this is another tournament and I'm going to prepare
well."
Koubek: "I didn't know how I would play here before the tournament. I didn't
have the confidence. I put on a good show today and now the confidence is
there again."
"I played well today and I felt well on the court. I knew he is extremely
fit."
Schuettler: "I'm disappointed. I'm not happy with my game today. It wasn't a
good match for me. He played well and he deserved to win. He put pressure on
me from the first point on and I was one step too late."
Nieminen: "I've been playing really solid in the beginning of the clay court
season. After Estoril I've been improving my clay court game all the time."
"I'm very satisfied with the way I'm playing. I'm always playing my best
tennis this week. I think it takes one or two weeks for me to find my best
form on clay."
"I trust myself more this year, I know my game better. I have more experience
and confidence this year."
SATURDAY MATCHES
Top-seed Roger Federer, the winner of two titles in 2003, meets unseeded
Stefan Koubek. Both players made their Munich debut this year. After capturing
his career-third ATP title in Doha and his quarterfinal appearance in Auckland,
the 26-year-old Austrian emcountered seven straight opening round losses.
Fifth-seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov meets No. 8 seed Jarkko Nieminen for the fourth
time this year, and the Finn won their most recent encounter at the Tennis
Masters Monte-Carlo event last month.
Nieminen plays in Munich for the first time, while Kafelnikov competes here
for the fourth time and this marks the first year the Russian has made it past
the opening round. Both players find themselves in their second semifinals of
the season, following Milan, where Kafelnikov defeated the Finn before falling
to Dutchman Martin Verkerk in the final.
--
老卡的脖子希望不礙事。他跟Nieminen今年真是槓上了...
Roger狀況持續大好中！
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.csie.ntu.edu.tw)
◆ From: 61.225.201.108
ALL-RUSSIANS 近期熱門文章
PTT體育區 即時熱門文章