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Nalbandian and Coria through to second round
Beijing, 13 September 2005 - A jetlagged David Nalbandian shook off the effects of a sleepless night to overpower Denmark’s Kristian Pless 6-3, 7-6 and reach the second round of the China Open.
Second seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina took just 55 minutes to ease past Chinese qualifier Zeng Shao Xuan 6-2, 6-1, and after a near two-hour rain delay at the start of the day, fourth-seeded Swede Thomas Johansson defeated countryman Jonas Bjorkman 6-4, 6-3.
Third-seed Nalbandian got off to a shaky start against Pless, going down an early break in the first set, but he rallied at 3-3 and never looked back.
“I didn’t play my best today, but I still won so I guess it was good enough,” said the Argentinian world No.9. “I’m still feeling the jetlag terribly and I hope I can improve and be ready for my next match.”
Pless, who lost to Nalbandian in the first round of last year’s China Open, their only meeting before today, hit consistently powerful ground strokes but appeared to lack focus. “Hitting good ball is not always enough to win matches,” said Nalbandian. ”Sometimes you need good tactics as well.”
Coria was a man with a strategy against Zeng. “I played well today so I’m happy. I have come here to win and get points for Shanghai [Tennis Masters Cup]. That might be difficult with [Rafael] Nadal, Naldbandian and Johansson in the tournament, but I think this is a great tournament and I will try my best.”
Johansson’s victory allowed him to put behind him a three-set loss to Bjorkman at the ATP Masters Series at Indian Wells in March this year. ”I have been working really hard since that match and have been playing better and stronger, and today’s win will help my confidence,” he said.
Tournament director Ekkehard Rathgeber said: “It has been a real treat for the fans to see big-name players of the calibre of Coria, Nalbandian and Johansson today.”
“Tennis is fast capturing the imagination of the Chinese public and matches like these can only add to that interest and get spectators in the mood for even more great tennis this week and next,” added Rathgeber, who is also chief operating officer of tournament co-organiser TOM Group Limited, an associate of Hutchison Whampoa Limited.
Top seed Rafael Nadal’s debut in the China Open was delayed a day by the late arrival of Taiwanese player, Wang Yeu Tzuoo. The pair will play their first-round match on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty withdrew from the event late on Monday, citing back trouble. His exit paved the way for Japan’s Toshihide Matsui to join the main draw despite losing his qualifying final to China’s Zeng Shao Xuan.
Matsui was due to play China’s Sun Peng in yesterday’s late match, while seventh seed Mikhail Youzhny faced Australian qualifier Nathan Healey.
Today’s other first-round singles results: Jarkko Nieminen (Finland) defeated Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-2; Wang Yu (China) defeated Luka Gregorc (Slovakia) 7-6, 6-1; Amir Hadad (Israel) defeated Dick Norman (Belgium) 7-5, 7-6; Danai Udomchoke (Thailand) defeated Noam Okun (Israel) 7-6, 3-6, 6-4; Justin Gimelstob (USA) defeated Roko Karanusic (Croatia) 6-4, 6-1.
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Released on behalf of TOM Group and the China Open by Two Up Front - Asia’s sports PR specialists.