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Last eights at Australian Open
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-01-23 09:14
In Men's, fourth seed David Nalbandian, seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic, unseeded
players Marcos Baghdatis and Fabrice Santoro made it through to the last eight,
while second seed Andy Roddick, former Open champion Thomas Johansson joined the
exodus of seeds.
David Nalbandian of
Argentina serves to Tommy Robredo of Spain at the Australian Open tennis
tournament in Melbourne January 22, 2006. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
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In the Open's greatest upset, Roddick lost in four sets in the fourth round
showdown with Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus.
Andy Roddick of the
U.S. reacts after missing a shot during his match against Marcos Baghdatis
of Cyprus at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne January
22, 2006.[Xinhua/Reuters] |
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Baghdatis's victory of 6-4, 1-6, 6-3 and 6-4 came in front of a crowd that
gave him almost overwhelming support, after the Cypriot overcame a second-set
glitch.
Baghdatis said he had played one of the best matches of his career.
Marcos Baghdatis of
Cyprus jubilates after winning his fourth round match against Andy Roddick
of the United States at the Australian Open Tennis Tournament in
Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Jan 22, 2006. Baghdatis upset Roddick 6-4,
1-6, 6-3, 6-4. [Xinhua/Reuters] |
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Roddick had been considered the only player likely to challenge world No. 1
Roger Federer for the Open title. But the world No. 2 performed well below par
in Sunday's match.
In the vital fifth game of the fourth set, Roddick served to stay in touch,
only to surrender every point, the last of them with a double fault.
Despite his consistently high ranking, Roddick has won only one grand slam
title, the 2003 US Open.
Nalbandian of Argentina dispatched 16th seed Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-3, 6-0,
2-6 and 6-2 and will play Fabrice Santoro in the quarter final.
The fourth seed is the form player at the bottom half of the draw, coming
into the Open with a last-start victory in the year-ending Master Cup in
Shanghai, China, in last November.
Santoro made his first grand slam quarter final after 17 years of trying, by
beating 11th seed David Ferrer of Spain 6-4, 7-5 and7-5.
Baghdatis's quarter final opponent will be seventh seed Ivan Ljubicic of
Croatia, who bowled over Johansson 6-2, 6-4 and 6-4 in less than two hours.
It took Ljubicic into the quarter-finals of a grand slam tournament for the
first time in his career. He hasn't dropped a set in the tournament so far.
Johansson's exit from the tournament left world No.1 Roger Federer, who won
this event in 2004, as the only former Open champion still in the men's
draw.
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