Nadal to return to Wimbledon tune-up this year
Category: Tennis newsRafael Nadal will return to Queen’s this year after he was unable to defend his title at the grass-court tournament in 2009.
In 2008, Nadal was the first man to win at the French Open, Queen’s Club and Wimbledon in the same year, but his persistent knee problems prevented him from defending his titles on grass at Queen’s and Wimbledon last year.
The Spaniard said Thursday there was now more motivation for him this year.
“I always look forward to coming to England to play at the Queen’s Club and Wimbledon but this year there is even more motivation because I could not defend my titles last year,” Nadal said.
Two years ago, Nadal followed victory at Queen’s with his first triumph at Wimbledon, ending Roger Federer’s dominance at the All England Club in an epic five-set final. But injury meant he could not return for the grass-court season a year later.
“No one was more disappointed than me that I couldn’t play because I love those tournaments,” Nadal said. “Queen’s is a big, important tournament … and it was an amazing feeling to win it in 2008 and then to fulfill my dream by winning Wimbledon.
“To not defend my Wimbledon title last year was one of the toughest decisions in my career, but this is a new year and now I have the chance to go back to England and to compete on the grass again.”
Nadal’s injury problems in the middle of 2009 signaled his slide from the No. 1 ranking. After winning the 2009 Australian Open, Nadal lost a match at the French Open for the first time when he fell to Robin Soderling in the fourth round.
Nadal’s last appearance on court was when he retired, with more knee problems, in his quarterfinal match against Andy Murray at the Australian Open in January.
The 23-year-old left-hander is set to return to action at this week’s Masters tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.
U.S. Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro has also announced his intention to play at Queen’s. The traditional Wimbledon warm-up event is scheduled for June 7-13.
Henin takes first match to open Indian Wells tourney
Category: Tennis newsJustin Henin beat Magdalena Rybarikova, 6-2, 6-2, in the first round of the BNP Paribas Open on Wednesday.
Henin, the former No. 1 who is playing in this tournament for the first time since 2006, was the top-ranked player on the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour when she unexpectedly retired in May, 2008.
She returned to the tour in January and was runner-up at Brisbane and again at the Australian Open after withdrawing from a tournament in Sydney due to a strained muscle.
Unranked after her lengthy absence, Henin took a wild card into this $4.5 million event and is one of six former champions in the 96-player field. However, only Henin and 2006 winner Maria Sharapova are in the bottom half of the bracket where Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark and Elena Dementieva of Russia are the top seeds.
Top-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova is in the top half of the bracket with former champions Kim Clijsters (2003, 2005), Daniela Hantuchova (2002, 2007), Ana Ivanovic (2008) and Vera Zvonareva (2009).
Henin, idle since the Australian Open final, didn’t serve well at just 48 percent, but won 20 of 26 first-serve points and saved the four break points against her in the 68-minute match.
“It was a very good feeling. This is a tournament I like a lot,” said Henin, who will meet Gisela Dulko of Argentina in the second round. “It’s been a break of one month with no competition so I was glad the way I went into the match today. Not everything was perfect, but I found a pretty good rhythm and felt I could go a lot to the net and I felt really good on the court, actually.”
Henin said when she began her comeback she felt it would take four or five months to be at her best physically and mentally, and her run to the Australian Open final didn’t change that.
“I still think I need a few more tournaments,” said Henin, a seven-time Grand Slam champion. “In Australia I proved to myself that I could make it, that I didn’t really need a lot of competition to be at a pretty good level. But I see further than that. For the French Open and Wimbledon I hope I can be at my best level.
“I need to get used just to being back on tour. That’s not that easy, to find a rhythm, to really find my place. I still have to build my confidence, I have to win matches, I have to feel strong enough mentally and physically.
Also moving into the second round on Wednesday were Patty Schnyder of Switzerland, a 6-1, 6-2 winner over Tathiana Garbin of Italy; Vera Dushevina of Russia, with a 6-0, 6-3 victory over Jelena Dokic of Australia; Olga Govortsova of Belarus, who beat Czech Iveta Benesova, 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (8); Alicia Molik of Australia, with a 6-1, 6-3 victory over Tatjana Malek of Germany; Shuai Peng of China, who outlasted Ekaterina Makarova of Russia, 6-1, 2-6, 6-4; Sorana Cirstea of Romania, who ousted Kaia Kanepi of Estonia, 6-7 (1), 6-3, 6-4; and American Jill Craybas, a 6-0, 7-5 winner over Eleni Daniilidou of Greece.
Others moving into the second round were Vania King, who beat Christina McHale, 7-5, 6-3, in an all-American match; Virginie Razzano of France, a 6-3, 6-4 winner over Kristina Barrios of Germany; Kimiko Date Krumm of Japan, who beat Melinda Czink of Hungary, 6-2, 6-2; Great Britain’s Elena Baltacha, a 6-3, 6-7 (3), 6-4 winner over Alexa Glatch of the U.S.; Tamarine Tanasugarn of Thailand, who toppled Edina Gallovits of Romania, 6-2, 6-3; and Polona Hercog of Slovakia, with a 7-5, 6-4 victory over Romania’s Ioana Raluca Olaru.
Federer Faces Challenging Road To Final
Category: Tennis newsWorld No 1 Roger Federer may need to get through a pair of Andys World No 4 Andy Murray and World No 8 Andy Roddick to reach the final at the BNP Paribas Open, the first of nine prestigious ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tennis tournaments this season. The Swiss is seeded to meet top American Roddick in the quarter-finals and 2009 finalist Murray in the semis.
Federer is looking to reach the Indian Wells final for the first time since 2006, when he won his third straight BNP Paribas Open title. He fell just shy the past two years, bowing out in the semi-finals. He will open against the winner between Victor Hanescu and Juan Ignacio Chela, and could face No. 27 seed Marcos Baghdatis in the third round.
Roddick, a three-time Indian Wells semi-finalist, may also need to work hard for a spot in the quarter-finals, with No. 12 seed Gael Monfils, Frenchman Richard Gasquet and Argentine David Nalbandian all potential opponents in the fourth round.
Meanwhile, British No. 1 Murray could come up against 13th-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer or 2006 finalist James Blake in the fourth round. Ferrer enters Indian Wells riding a 7-match winning streak, and has won 11 of his past 12 matches. In the quarter-finals, Murray could meet Swedens Robin Soderling or Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, both past Grand Slam finalists.
Defending champion Rafael Nadal, who also won the Indian Wells title in 2007, could come up against Russian Nikolay Davydenko in his quarter-final match. Davydenko has won their past three meetings, including this past January in the final of the Qatar ExxonMobil Open, to take the 5-4 lead in the lifetime series.
World No. 3 Nadal will play a qualifier in his second-round opening match, and could meet one of two Americans No. 15 seed John Isner or No. 17 seed Sam Querrey in the fourth round. Isner and Querrey have each won a hard-court title this season, Isner in Auckland and Querrey in Memphis.
Davydenko, the No. 5 seed, plays either 2009 ATP Comeback Player of the Year Marco Chiudinelli or recent Delray Beach titlist Ernests Gulbis in his opener. He could meet No. 10 seed Fernando Verdasco or No. 19 seed Tomas Berdych in the quarter-finals.
In the bottom quarter of the draw, the 2008 Indian Wells finalists Novak Djokovic and Mardy Fish could clash in the second round. Fish, who upset three Top 10 players during his run to the final, will face German Michael Berrer in the first round.
Croatian Marin Cilic, the ATP match wins leader this season with an 18-2 mark, is seeded to meet Djokovic in the quarter-finals. But in-form Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero, the No. 11 seed, could challenge the World No. 9 in the fourth round. The 30-year-old Ferrer won 14 of 15 matches during the Latin American clay-court swing.
LTA may ask Henman to become Cup captain
Category: Tennis newsThe LTA may ask Tim Henman to take over as Davis Cup captain after Britains fifth consecutive defeat in Davis Cup under John Lloyd, according to The London Telegraph. The governing body would want Henman to guide the team in their Euro-African Zone Group Two relegation play-off against Turkey in July, said the paper.
The London Times had earlier said that Greg Rusedski is being primed to become Great Britains fifth Davis Cup captain in ten years, though the LTA denied having made any formal approach.
Lloyd has acknowledged his job may be in jeopardy but has not yet indicated an intention to resign. His contract with the LTA runs till the end of the year.
The future of Paul Annacone, Britains Davis Cup coach, is also unclear.
Henin avoids top seeds in Indian Wells draw
Category: Tennis newsJustine Henin has avoided drawing one of the top names in the early rounds as she prepares to play the third event of her comeback at Indian Wells.
Henin, who is unseeded because she has not yet played enough tournaments to earn a ranking, would not meet a top four player until Elena Dementieva in the quarterfinals. The Belgian will begin against Magdalena Rybarikova, and also has Agnieszka Radwanska and Marion Bartoli in her section of the draw. Maria Sharapova or Caroline Wozniacki could await in the semifinals.
In the other half of the draw, Kim Clijsters and Svetlana Kuznetsova could clash in the fourth round, and last years finalists Ana Ivanovic and Vera Zvonareva are slated to meet inthe third round.
Britain looking into Davis Cup loss to Lithuania
Category: Tennis newsBritain’s tennis administrators will review the Davis Cup team’s embarrassing 3-2 loss to Lithuania but denied Monday’s reports that they are about to fire captain John Lloyd and replace him with Greg Rusedski.
The loss was Britain’s fifth in a row under Lloyd and it now has to beat Turkey to avoid dropping into the lowest tier of the competition.
Although the Lawn Tennis Association said it would make a quick response to the loss, player director Steve Martens said no decisions had yet been made.
“Clearly we have to be swift and decisive. But it is very important that in the heat of the battle you don’t do anything emotional,” he said. “We have to be looking at this together with the captain, reviewing where we were with our players, where we were with our selection, where we were with the preparation of the players.
“That is exactly what we’ll do over the next few days and the captain will be a full part of that.”
Lloyd said after Sunday’s defeat in Vi lost to a Lithuania team which has only three players ranked in the top 1,000.
But Martens said the LTA had not yet looked at replacing Lloyd and taking on Rusedski, a former U.S. Open runner-up who has turned to coaching promising British players.
“We have had no direct contact at all [with Rusedski],” Martens said. “I think it would also be very disrespectful to a guy like John to do that.
“Greg is a fantastic coach, he works with us, he’s fully on board working with some of the male players and John so far has been fully in the loop in everything we do.”
Djokovic outlasts Isner as Serbs clinch win over U.S.
Category: Tennis newsThe Davis Cup run for the United States is over in the first round.
Novak Djokovic withstood 24 aces and outlasted John Isner 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 on Sunday, giving Serbia a clinching 3-1 lead against an American team looking for its 33rd Davis Cup title. In the last rubber, Sam Querrey beat Viktor Troicki 7-5, 6-2 to make the final score 3-2..
It’s the first time since 2005 the Americans were eliminated in the first round, while Serbia advances for the first time in the World Group and next plays bitter Balkan rival Croatia in the quarterfinals.
Djokovic, ranked No. 2, needed 4 hours and 16 minutes to outlast the 20th-ranked Isner, who was making his Davis Cup debut. The U.S. team played without both Andy Roddick and James Blake for the first time since 2000.
“Isner fought like crazy, and his serve was unbelievable,” Djokovic said of the 6-foot-9 American. “His serves are coming like from the fourth floor, and I had no idea where they would go.”
Struggling to contain Isner’s booming serve, Djokovic smashed his racket in the second set and received a ball violation penalty in the fourth set tiebreaker. The Serb then wasted three match points while leading 5-3 in the fifth set before converting his sixth match point after Isner netted a forehand.
“I knew I had to play my best tennis to have a chance against Djokovic,” Isner said. “He returns the serve real well, and my hat is off to him for the victory.”
“I double-faulted on two important break points and that’s what probably cost me the match,” Isner said. “Four hours is a lot of tennis, and I’m proud how I played.”
Viktor Troicki defeated Isner in the opening singles Friday and Djokovic beat Sam Querrey to give Serbia a 2-0 lead. Isner and Bob Bryan pulled one back for the U.S. by defeating Nenad Zimonjic and Janko Tipsarevic in Saturday’s doubles.
In other first-round matches, two-time defending champion Spain defeated Switzerland 4-1. The Spaniards advanced to the July quarterfinals against France, which beat Germany 4-1. Russia defeated India 3-2 and will meet Argentina, a 3-2 winner over Sweden.
Croatia swept Ecuador 5-0 and the Czech Republic downed Belgium 4-1 and will play either Chile or Israel. Israel’s doubles team of Jonathan Erlich and Andy Ram defeated Chile’s Paul Capderville and Jorge Aguilar on Sunday, narrowing Chile’s lead to 2-1 in the best-of-5 Davis Cup tie.
The tie began a day late after the Israeli team had trouble traveling to the venue in the aftermath of the earthquake in the South American country.
U.S. wins doubles, shaves Serbia’s Davis Cup lead
Category: Tennis newsBob Bryan and John Isner defeated Nenad Zimonjic and Janko Tipsarevic 7-6 (8), 5-7, 7-6 (8), 6-3 in doubles to keep the United States alive in the Davis Cup first round, cutting Serbia’s lead to 2-1.
Isner was a last-minute replacement for Bryan’s twin Mike, who was sidelined with food poisoning. The Bryans are the top-ranked doubles team.
Isner, who made his Davis Cup debut on Friday, will try to even the series Sunday when he plays second-ranked Novak Djokovic in the first reverse singles on an indoor clay court at Belgrade Arena. Sam Querrey is set to play the final singles match against Viktor Troicki.
“I’m a bit tired now, but it won’t affect me too much tomorrow against Djokovic,” said the 20th-ranked Isner. “I really have nothing to lose as he’s the No. 2 player and not me.”
On Friday, Isner lost the opener to Troicki while Djokovic beat Querrey. The U.S. has only won once after falling behind 2-0 in the Davis Cup, against Australia in 1934.
Serbia is trying to advance beyond the first round in the World Group for the first time.
In other Davis Cup matches, France, Croatia and the Czech Republic advanced to the quarterfinals with insurmountable 3-0 leads. Spain, Russia and Argentina lead 2-1 and will play on Sunday.
Chile swept Israel 2-0 in opening singles, which were delayed a day because of the earthquake and tsunami.
The match Saturday was the first time Bob Bryan played doubles in the Davis Cup without his brother. The two are 9-0 in Davis Cup matches on the road and have 16 doubles wins together in the competition, the most of any U.S. doubles team. Mike Bryan got sick after eating a hotel room service dinner on Friday.
“John is a good doubles player and I enjoyed playing behind his big serve,” Bob Bryan said. “It definitely was a new experience for me, we pulled a couple of amazing tiebreakers.”
The Serb duo wasted five set points in the first-set tiebreaker, with the Americans converting their second. In the third, a set point for the Serbs was annulled by the umpire and the point was given to the Americans after Zimonjic called an Isner service out during play even though the ball was in.
“The referee was right, and I made a mistake,” Zimonjic said. “All the credit to the Americans, who served real well and handled the pressure perfectly.”
France defeated Germany in doubles, with Michael Llodra and Julien Benneteau stopping Philipp Kohlschreiber and Christopher Kas 6-1, 6-4, 1-6, 7-5 on hardcourt in Toulon, France.
Croatia’s Marin Cilic and Ivo Karlovic stopped Ecuadorean brothers Nicolas and Giovanni Lapentti 7-6 (3), 6-3, 7-5 in Varazdin, Croatia.
The Czech Republic’s Tomas Berdych and Radek Stepanek beat Belgium’s Olivier Rochus and Steve Darcis 7-6 (0), 6-0, 6-3 in Bree, Belgium.
Defending champion Spain took a 2-1 lead against Switzerland when Tommy Robredo and Marcel Granollers defeated Stanislas Wawrinka and Yves Allegro 7-6 (8), 6-2, 4-6, 6-4 on clay in the bullring of Logrono, Spain. The Spaniards played without Rafael Nadal, who has a knee injury.
The Swiss are missing top-ranked Roger Federer, who ruled himself out because of scheduling.
Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes of India defeated Igor Kunitsyn and Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 to reduce Russia’s lead to 2-1 in Moscow.
Argentina’s David Nalbandian and Horacio Zeballos edged Sweden’s Robin Soderling and Robert Lindstedt 6-2, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5) to lead 2-1 in Stockholm.
In Coquimbo, Chile, Nicolas Massu beat Dudi Sela 4-6, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4, rallying from 3-1 down in the fourth set. Fernando Gonzalez topped Harel Levy 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Hantuchova defeats rival Cibulkova to reach final
Category: Tennis newsDaniela Hantuchova came from a set down to defeat fellow Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday in the semifinals of the Monterrey Open.
Second-seeded Hantuchova will be looking for her fourth WTA title in Sunday’s final against either third-seeded Russian Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova or unseeded Latvian Anastasija Sevastova at the outdoor hard-court event.
Pavlyuchenkova and Sevastova will play their semifinal early Sunday after their match Saturday was postponed due to heavy rain.
Hantuchova, 26, improve two wins on hard court and one on clay.
“I didn’t have a good start. It was difficult to find a way to win but I’m happy I was able to,” Hantuchova said. “In the first set I didn’t take my opportunities, so from the second set I decided I had to be aggressive. I was hoping it wouldn’t rain.”
Davis Cup Results
Category: Tennis newsWORLD GROUP
First Round.
Winners to quarterfinals, July 9-11; losers to WG Playoffs, Sept. 17-19
Serbia 2, United States 0
At Belgrade Arena
Belgrade, Serbia
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Viktor Troicki, Serbia, def. John Isner, United States, 7-6 (5), 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-4.
Novak Djokovic, Serbia, def. Sam Querrey, United States, 6-2, 7-6 (4), 2-6, 6-3.
Switzerland 1, Spain 1
At Plaza de Toros de la Ribera
Logrono, Spain
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Stanislas Wawrinka, Switzerland def. Nicolas Almagro, Spain, 3-6, 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3.
David Ferrer, Spain, def. Marco Chiudinelli, Switzerland, 6-2, 7-6 (5), 6-1.
France 2, Germany 0
At Palais des Sports
Toulon, France
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Gael Monfils, France, def. Philipp Kohlschreiber, Germany, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (5).
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, France, def. Benjamin Becker, Germany, 6-3, 6-2, 6-7 (2), 6-3.
Russia 2, India 0
At Small Sports Arena Luzhniki
Moscow
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Igor Kunitsyn, Russia, def. Somdev Devvarman, India, 6-7 (6), 7-6 (4), 6-3, 6-4.
Mikhail Youzhny, Russia, def. Rohan Bopanna, India, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3.
Sweden 1, Argentina 1
At Kungliga Tennishallen
Stockholm
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Robin Soderling, Sweden, def. Eduardo Schwank, Argentina, 6-1, 7-6 (0), 7-5.
Leonardo Mayer, Argentina, def. Joachim Johansson, Sweden, 5-7, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Croatia 2, Ecuador 0
At Gradska Sportska Dvorana Varazdin
Varazdin, Croatia
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, def. Nicolas Lapentti, Ecuador, 6-2, 5-7, 6-7 (2), 6-3, 6-4.
Marin Cilic, Croatia, def. Giovanni Lapentti, Ecuador, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.
Czech Republic 2, Belgium 0
At Expodroom Bree
Bree, Belgium
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Tomas Berdych, Czech Republic, def. Olivier Rochus, Belgium, 6-3, 6-0, 6-4.
Radek Stepanek, Czech Republic, def. Xavier Malisse, Belgium, 6-2, 6-4, 7-6 (3).
EUROPE/AFRICA ZONE
Group I
Winners to second round, May 5-7; losers to Group I playoffs, July 9-11
Italy 2, Belarus 0
At Nova Yardinia
Taranto, Italy
Surface: Clay-Outdoor
Singles
Potito Starace, Italy, def. Uladzimir Ignatik, Belarus, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2.
Fabio Fognini, Italy, def. Alexander Bury, Belarus, 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.
Finland 1, Poland 1
At Hala 100 Lecia Sopotu
Sopot, Poland
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Jarkko Nieminen, Finland, def. Michal Przysiezny, Poland, 6-7 (5), 7-6 (4), 6-7 (5), 7-6 (7), 6-4.
Lukasz Kubot, Poland, def. Henri Kontinen, Finland, 6-4, 6-2, 7-6 (5).
Ukraine 2, Latvia 0
At Megaron Tennis Club
Dnipropetrovsk, Ukraine
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Illya Marchenko, Ukraine, def. Andis Juska, Latvia, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4.
Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine, def. Deniss Pavlovs, Latvia, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
Group II
Winners to second round, losers to Group II playoffs, July 9-11
Lithuania 1, Britain 1
At Seb Arena
Vilnius, Lithuania
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
James Ward, Britain, def. Laurynas Grigelis, Lithuania, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Ricardas Berankis, Lithuania, def. Daniel Evans, Britain, 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 3-6, 6-3.
Ireland 2, Turkey 0
At Fitzwilliam Lawn Tennis Club
Dublin, Ireland
Surface: Carpet-Indoor
Singles
James McGee, Ireland, def. Haluk Akkoyun, Turkey, 6-2, 6-2, 6-4.
Conor Niland, Ireland, def. Marsel Ilhan, Turkey, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1.
Monaco 1, Bulgaria 1
At Tennis Hall Sofia
Sofia, Bulgaria
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Benjamin Balleret, Monaco, def. Todor Enev, Bulgaria, 4-6, 6-7 (0), 7-5, 6-2, 6-1.
Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, def. Thomas Oger, Monaco, 6-4, 7-5, 6-3.
Slovenia 2, Norway 0
At Riksanlegget For Tennis
Oslo, Norway
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Blaz Kavcic, Slovenia, def. Stian Boretti, Norway, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.
Grega Zemlja, Slovenia, def. Erling Tveit, Norway, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Portugal 2, Denmark 0
At Complexo de Tenis da Maia
Maia, Portugal
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Rui Machado, Portugal, def. Frederik Nielsen, Denmark, 4-6, 6-4, 6-0, 6-1.
Frederico Gil, Portugal, def. Martin Pedersen, Denmark, 6-2, 7-6 (0), 3-6, 6-3.
Egypt 1, Cyprus 1
At Spyros Kyprianou Athletic Centre
Limassol, Cyprus
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Karim Maamoun, Egypt, def. Rares Cuzdriorean, Cyprus, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5.
Marcos Baghdatis, Cyprus, def. Sherif Sabry, Egypt, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.
Estonia 1, Hungary 1
At Coral Tennis Club
Tallinn, Estonia
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Adam Kellner, Hungary, def. Jaak Poldma, Estonia, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.
Jurgen Zopp, Estonia, def. Kornel Bardoczky, Hungary, 7-6 (7), 6-1, 6-0.
Macedonia 1, Bosnia Herzegovina 1
At Sport Hall Gemidzii
Veles, Macedonia
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Predrag Rusevski, Macedonia, def. Ismar Gorcic, Bosnia Herzegovina, 6-4, 6-2, 6-4.
Aldin Setkic, Bosnia Herzegovina, def. Dimitar Grabulovski, Macedonia, 6-1, 6-4, 6-0.
AMERICAS ZONE
Group I
Winner to second round, May 7-9; loser to Group I playoffs, July 9-11
Uruguay 2, Dominican Republic 0
At Federacion Dominicana De Tenis
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Singles
Pablo Cuevas, Uruguay, def. Jose Hernandez, Dominican Republic, 6-2, 7-5, 6-3.
Marcel Felder, Uruguay, def. Victor Estrella, Dominican Republic, 0-6, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2.
Group II
Winners to second round, losers to Group II playoffs, July 9-11
Peru 2, El Salvador 0
At Club Lawn Tennis De La Exposicion
Lima, Peru
Surface: Clay-Outdoor
Singles
Ivan Miranda, Peru, def. Rafael Arevalo, El Salvador, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5.
Mauricio Echazu, Peru, def. Marcelo Arevalo, El Salvador, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
Paraguay 2, Netherlands Antilles 0
At Yacht y Golf Club Paraguayo
Lambare, Paraguay
Surface: Clay-Outdoor
Singles
Diego Galeano, Paraguay, def. Alexander Blom, Netherlands Antilles, 6-2, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Ramon Delgado, Paraguay, def. Martijn van Haasteren, Netherlands Antilles, 6-1, 6-2, 6-1.
Mexico 2, Guatemala 0
At Rafael Pelon Osuna
Distrito Federal, Mexico
Surface: Clay-Outdoor
Singles
Bruno Rodriguez, Mexico, def. Julen Uriguen, Guatemala, 6-4, 6-0, 2-0, retired.
Cesar Ramirez, Mexico, def. Christopher Diaz-Figueroa, Guatemala, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1.
ASIA/OCEANIA ZONE
Group I
Winners to second round, May 7-9; losers to Group I playoffs, July 9-11
Australia 2, Taiwan 0
At Margaret Court Arena
Melbourne, Australia
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Singles
Bernard Tomic, Australia, def. Yang Tsung-hua, Taiwan, 6-2, 6-1, 6-1.
Peter Luczak, Australia, def. Yi Chu-huan, Taiwan, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.
Japan 2, Philippines 0
At Namihaya Dome
Osaka, Japan
Surface: Carpet-Indoor
Singles
Tatsuma Ito, Japan, def. Treat Huey, Philippines, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
Go Soeda, Japan, def. Cecil Mamiit, Philippines, 6-7 (4), 6-3, 6-3, 6-3.
China 1, Uzbekistan 1
At Huayuan Hotel
Guangdong, China
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Denis Istomin, Uzbekistan, def. Wu Di, China, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.
Zheng Ze, China, def. Farrukh Dustov, Uzbekistan, 6-4, 0-6, 7-5, 6-3.
Kazakhstan 2, South Korea 0
At The National Tennis Centre
Astana, Kazakhstan
Surface: Clay-Indoor
Singles
Andrey Golubev, Kazakhstan, def. Lim Yong-kyu, South Korea, 6-1, 6-1, 6-4.
Mikhail Kukushkin, Kazakhstan, def. Im Kyu-tae, South Korea, 6-4, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5).
Group II
Winners to second round, July 9-11; losers to Group II playoffs, July 9-11
Thailand 2, Pacific Oceania 0
At LTAT
Nonthaburi, Thailand
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Singles
Perakiat Siriluethaiwatana, Thailand, def. Michael Leong, Pacific Oceania, 7-5, 6-1, 6-3.
Kittiphong Wachiramanowong, Thailand, def. Cyril Jacobe, Pacific Oceania, 6-4, 6-1, 6-0.
Indonesia 2, Malaysia 0
At The National Tennis Centre
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Surface: Hard-Indoor
Singles
Christopher Rungkat, Indonesia, def. Ariez Elyaas Deen Heshaam, Malaysia, 6-0, 6-1, 6-2.
Sunu-Wahyu Trijati, Indonesia, def. Si Yew-ming, Malaysia, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2, 6-2.
Hong Kong 1, Pakistan 1
At Victoria Park
Hong Kong
Surface: Hard-Outdoor
Singles
Yu Hiu-tung, Hong Kong, def. Aqeel Khan, Pakistan, 6-4, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3.
Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi, Pakistan, def. Hui Cheuk-wai, Hong Kong, 6-2, 6-3, 6-4.
New Zealand 2, Sri Lanka 0
At Sri Lanka Tennis Association
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Surface: Clay-Outdoor
Singles
Jose Statham, New Zealand, def. Harshana Godamanna, Sri Lanka, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Dan King-Turner, New Zealand, def. Rajeev Rajapakse, Sri Lanka, 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, 6-2.
