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Philippoussis Wins In Straight Sets
July 29, 2003
AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis opened his U.S. hardcourt season with a straight-set victory over Adam Kennedy in the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Cup on Tuesday.
Philippoussis, the fifth seed in the $380,000 ATP Tour event, won 6-3, 6-2 in his first singles match since losing the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer on July 6.
Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt faced Cecil Mamiit in a first-round match Tuesday night.
Philippoussis, 26-12 in singles matches this year, said playing doubles with Hewitt on Monday in this tournament was "key" in adjusting to conditions at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
But, Philippoussis said, the real key to his resurgence after three knee operations in 14 months was having fun.
"I'm not looking at the rankings at all," said Philippoussis, who is ranked 20th in the world. "All I'm looking at is staying healthy. I'm enjoying the challenge (of playing) a lot. I'm just enjoying myself. It's been more than a year since I've been healthy, knock on wood."
Meanwhile, former U.S. Open champion Marat Safin may have played his final match of the season. Safin, seeded sixth, retired from his first-round match against Prakash Amritraj due to an injured left wrist, then hinted that he may not play again this year.
"I got injured and I felt a lot of pain. I could not hit a backhand and I decided to stop," said Safin, who said he didn't know when asked about a return to the tour.
"It's all open," he said. "It depends on the doctor. I have to find a solution. Anyway, it's the end of the season so I need to find out and be prepared for next season."
The 19-year-old Amritraj, ranked 351st in the world, wasn't the only surprise winner. Thirty-year-old veteran Michael Joyce, playing his first tour match of the year, upset Jan-Michael Gambill, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (4) in a match that had been suspended Monday night due to rain.
In other first-round results Tuesday, third-seeded Sjeng Schalken beat Safin's coach, Denis Golovanov, 6-4, 6-4; No. 7 Wayne Ferreira eliminated Robert Yim 6-4, 6-4; No. 8 Vincent Spadea topped Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer defeated Nicolas Thomann 6-1, 6-4; and Robby Ginepri beat Andrew Ilie 6-1, 6-1.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
July 29, 2003
AP
LOS ANGELES (AP) Wimbledon runner-up Mark Philippoussis opened his U.S. hardcourt season with a straight-set victory over Adam Kennedy in the first round of the Mercedes-Benz Cup on Tuesday.
Philippoussis, the fifth seed in the $380,000 ATP Tour event, won 6-3, 6-2 in his first singles match since losing the Wimbledon final to Roger Federer on July 6.
Top-seeded Lleyton Hewitt faced Cecil Mamiit in a first-round match Tuesday night.
Philippoussis, 26-12 in singles matches this year, said playing doubles with Hewitt on Monday in this tournament was "key" in adjusting to conditions at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.
But, Philippoussis said, the real key to his resurgence after three knee operations in 14 months was having fun.
"I'm not looking at the rankings at all," said Philippoussis, who is ranked 20th in the world. "All I'm looking at is staying healthy. I'm enjoying the challenge (of playing) a lot. I'm just enjoying myself. It's been more than a year since I've been healthy, knock on wood."
Meanwhile, former U.S. Open champion Marat Safin may have played his final match of the season. Safin, seeded sixth, retired from his first-round match against Prakash Amritraj due to an injured left wrist, then hinted that he may not play again this year.
"I got injured and I felt a lot of pain. I could not hit a backhand and I decided to stop," said Safin, who said he didn't know when asked about a return to the tour.
"It's all open," he said. "It depends on the doctor. I have to find a solution. Anyway, it's the end of the season so I need to find out and be prepared for next season."
The 19-year-old Amritraj, ranked 351st in the world, wasn't the only surprise winner. Thirty-year-old veteran Michael Joyce, playing his first tour match of the year, upset Jan-Michael Gambill, 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (4) in a match that had been suspended Monday night due to rain.
In other first-round results Tuesday, third-seeded Sjeng Schalken beat Safin's coach, Denis Golovanov, 6-4, 6-4; No. 7 Wayne Ferreira eliminated Robert Yim 6-4, 6-4; No. 8 Vincent Spadea topped Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer defeated Nicolas Thomann 6-1, 6-4; and Robby Ginepri beat Andrew Ilie 6-1, 6-1.
AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service
Copyright 2003, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved
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