atptennis.com
July 9, 2024

Roland Garros champion Gaston Gaudio maintained his impressive clay court form with a three-set victory over rising French player Olivier Patience in the second round of the Synsam Swedish Open in Bastad. Gaudio, the No. 2 seed playing in Bastad for the second time and first since 1999, rallied from a set down to seal a 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 victory. The Argentine has now won his last 11 matches on clay since his first round loss to Roger Federer at the ATP Masters in Hamburg.

Gaudio�s countryman Juan Ignacio Chela also advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating talented lefty Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 7-5. Chela, who defeated Marat Safin to claim the Estoril Open title in April, is playing in Bastad for the second time having lost to Ivan Ljubicic in the first round in 2000. Verdasco won the clay court title in Valencia and reached the final in Acapulco earlier this year.

In their first career meeting, local star Robin Soderling upset No. 5 seed Tommy Robredo 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 to reach the quarterfinals. The 22-year-old Gothenberg resident, who reached the final in Marseilles earlier this year (l. to Dominik Hrbaty) is through to the quarterfinals of the Synsam Swedish Open for the first time in his third appearance in the tournament.

Spanish teenager Rafael Nadal continued his comeback from injury with a comfortable 6-1, 6-2 victory over qualifier Santiago Ventura. Nadal, who fractured his left ankle during the Estoril Open in April, has an 18-8 record in 2004 having reached the final in Auckland in January (l. to Hrbaty). Ventura captured his first ATP title as a qualifier in Casablanca in May.

WHAT THE PLAYERS SAID:

S�derling: �The first set was the best clay court tennis I have ever played. I usually feel better at the end of the clay court season. I need a few tournaments to get going.

�In this kind of tournament, I have to play my best game in every match if I want to win. I always put some pressure on myself but I do not feel any extra pressure being the only Swede left in the tournament. It really helps to have the crowd behind you when you play well like today.

�This is a great tournament. The people in charge have done a great job in improving the status of the tournament the last couple of years.�

Gaudio: �[Patience] played really well in the beginning of the match. After all the attention lately it has been difficult for me to stay focused and concentrated on the tennis. This is something I was suffering from at the beginning of the match today.

�All of the players left are playing good tennis. There are some great players here so it is going be difficult to win.

�Nadal is a great talent and it will be a tough match tomorrow.�

Chela: �This was a good win for me. Verdasco is a very good young player.�

THURSDAY PREVIEW

Quarterfinal action begins on Friday at the Synsam Swedish Open with four of the eight seeds among those hoping to book their places in the semifinals.

Defending champion Mariano Zabaleta continues his bid for a second consecutive title as he takes on Alberto Martin, the Spaniard who upset No.9 seed Mikhail Youzhny in the first round. Zabaleta, the Buenos Aires native who has a 3-1 edge over the Spaniard, is hoping to record a third consecutive win over Martin. Zabaleta has a 9-1 record in Bastad.

In an all-South American battle, wild card Juan Monaco of Argentina will face Chilean No. 2 Fernando Gonzalez for the first time. Monaco defeated No. 3 seed Nicolas Massu, the Chilean No. 1, in the first round.

Juan Ignacio Chela will try to record a first career win against up-and-coming local Robin Soderling to whom he lost in Stockholm at the end of 2003.

In the most eagerly awaited match of the day, teenage star Rafael Nadal will clash with 2004 Roland Garros champion Gaston Gaudio. Nadal, who hasn�t competed since Estoril earlier in April due to an ankle injury, made his return to action in Bastad.

Gaudio, making his first appearance since his dramatic victory over Guillermo Coria in the final in Paris, won their only previous meeting at the ATP Masters in Hamburg in 2003.