Stepanek struggles into Tokyo quarters
Source: Agencies |
October 7, 2010, Thursday
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FORMER top 10 player Radek Stepanek became the first man to reach the Japan Open quarterfinals in Tokyo after Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli retired with a back injury yesterday.
Last week's surprise Thailand Open winner Guillermo Garcia-Lopez stunned sixth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (5), 6-4 in a Spanish shootout to continue his purple patch of form.
Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who lost to Garcia-Lopez in the Bangkok final, won through to the last eight by beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain 6-3, 7-6 (8), and Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, ranked 432nd after three left ankle surgeries, outlasted 2007 runner-up Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-4 to make his first quarters since July 2009.
Stepanek was leading 5-7, 7-6 (7), 4-1 when his opponent quit having already had a lengthy rubdown from the trainer on center court.
"Until the moment Marco hurt his back I was always behind," the Czech told reporters. "I was trying to hang in. It was more a mental game than a tennis match."
100 percent
Stepanek, who reached No. 8 in the world in 2006, proclaimed himself 100 percent after a mononucleosis scare at the start of the year sidelined him for three months.
"It was not a good time - spending all my time at the doctor's having blood tests," he said. "When I came back I hurt my knee and was off for six or seven weeks again.
"Look at (2009 US Open champion Juan Martin) del Potro," he said referring to the Argentine who has missed most of the season with a wrist injury. "It's always so tough to come back and play at the highest level.
"But I'm newly married (to former top-10 player Nicole Vaidisova) and there are more important things than hitting a tennis ball."
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was given the day off after safely coming through his opening match on Tuesday.
Garcia-Lopez, who shocked Nadal in the Bangkok semifinals, produced another upset to book his place in the last eight. "I'm doing everything perfect," he said. "I won a tournament last week and two matches here."
Last week's surprise Thailand Open winner Guillermo Garcia-Lopez stunned sixth seed Feliciano Lopez 7-6 (5), 6-4 in a Spanish shootout to continue his purple patch of form.
Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, who lost to Garcia-Lopez in the Bangkok final, won through to the last eight by beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain 6-3, 7-6 (8), and Dmitry Tursunov of Russia, ranked 432nd after three left ankle surgeries, outlasted 2007 runner-up Richard Gasquet of France 7-6 (2), 1-6, 6-4 to make his first quarters since July 2009.
Stepanek was leading 5-7, 7-6 (7), 4-1 when his opponent quit having already had a lengthy rubdown from the trainer on center court.
"Until the moment Marco hurt his back I was always behind," the Czech told reporters. "I was trying to hang in. It was more a mental game than a tennis match."
100 percent
Stepanek, who reached No. 8 in the world in 2006, proclaimed himself 100 percent after a mononucleosis scare at the start of the year sidelined him for three months.
"It was not a good time - spending all my time at the doctor's having blood tests," he said. "When I came back I hurt my knee and was off for six or seven weeks again.
"Look at (2009 US Open champion Juan Martin) del Potro," he said referring to the Argentine who has missed most of the season with a wrist injury. "It's always so tough to come back and play at the highest level.
"But I'm newly married (to former top-10 player Nicole Vaidisova) and there are more important things than hitting a tennis ball."
World No. 1 Rafael Nadal was given the day off after safely coming through his opening match on Tuesday.
Garcia-Lopez, who shocked Nadal in the Bangkok semifinals, produced another upset to book his place in the last eight. "I'm doing everything perfect," he said. "I won a tournament last week and two matches here."
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