Fuente : Wimbledon
http://www.wimbledon.org

WIMBLEDON: Around the Courts: Doubles

/noticias.info/ Wednesday, 22 June, 2005

The doubles events began on the outside courts at Wimbledon today. Fresh from her Centre Court victory yesterday over French Open Champion Justine Henin-Hardenne, Eleni Daniilidou and partner Nicole Pratt edged past Kveta Peschke and Julia Schruff 7-5, 6-4. They took their opportunities to break in both sets, with the most important break coming at 5-4 in the second set when they converted their second match point.

In other ladies' matches, the Australians Bryanne Stewart and Samantha Stosur quickly dismantled British wild cards Anne Keothavong and Amanda Janes 6-0, 6-3.

The first set lasted 20 minutes as the seeds cruised to a 6-0 lead. Their serves were devastatingly accurate, their body language always looked positive and they were always planning the next strategic move in between points. And whatever they were talking about worked as they took the second set with little resistance from the shell-shocked Britons.

Conchita Martinez and Janette Husarova had to deal with a late revival from Eva Birnerova and Andreea Vanc to win 6-2, 1-6, 6-1. The sixth seeded pair were strong in the first set but the Czech and Romanian pair gave their all to take the match into a final set. But with all their energy used up in the second set, they quickly fell 4-0 behind in the final set. The match went the way of the Spaniard and Slovak, who conceded just one game in the final set.

Cara Black and Leizel Huber faced British wild cards Sarah Borwell and Emily Webley Smith. The second seeds faced little resistance and were 6-1 and 2-1 ahead inside half an hour. Poor serving from their opponents allowed Black and Huber to make break point opportunities in nearly every service game.

Daniella Hantuchova and Ai Sugiyama forged an impressive partnership, eliminating Erica Krauth and Marie- Eve Pelletier 7-6 (7-1), 6-1. The tiebreak could have been avoided but the Slovakian and Japanese team struggled to convert break points. Krauth and Pelletier were deflated after the tiebreak and the seventh seeds took charge of the second set.

Elena Baltacha and Jane O'Donoghue had to work hard to beat Mariana Diaz- Oliva and Martina Sucha in three sets 7-5, 1-6, 6-1. The British pair survived a close first set and managed to regroup for a strong team performance to take the third set comfortably. They are likely to face the number one seeds in the next round.

Shinobu Asagoe and Katerina Srebotnik defeated Spanish pair Marta Marrero and Arantxa Parra Santonja 6-0, 3-6, 6-3. The tall Srebotnik and quick Asagoe capitalised on a nervous start from the Spaniards. But winning the first set easily can contribute to a loss of focus in the second, and 10th seeds struggled before regaining control of the match and winning the final set 6-3.

In the men's competition, No.2 seeds Bob and Mike Bryan dropped the first set to David Ferrer and S Venturas of Spain. But the brothers reeled in the second set 6-3 and went 3-1 up in the match as Ventura needed ongoing treatment for a thigh problem. The Bryans took the third set easily 6-2, and broke the serves of Ferrer and Ventura to take a huge advantage in the fourth. The final set was a whitewash and the more fancied pair advanced to the next round, 5-7, 6-3, 6-2, 6-0.

Swedish pair Johan Landsberg and Robin Soderling displayed good teamwork to defeat Alex Lopez Moron and Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. The Swedes grew stronger with each set, and neither was broken on serve all match.

Mahesh Bhupathi and Todd Woodbridge met little resistance from American's Graydon Oliver and Jared Palmer, winning 6-4, 6-2, 6-7, 6-3. The third set was close and at 5-5 Woodbridge and Bhupathi, the No.6 seeds, wasted six break points. The Americans took the set in a tie-break. The fourth set and match was sealed by the ever reliable Bhupathi holding serve in the final game.

Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett sent out a message to the rest of the partnerships in the draw with an explosive start to their campaign with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-2 thrashing of the Italians Felippo Volandri and Massimo Bertolini. Black and Ullyet attacked every serve hit to them and managed to protect their own serves from the threat of being broken with a high percentage of first serves flying in.

The Rochus brothers were on opposite sides of the court today and were involved in a five-set marathon match. Olivier Rochus, the smallest man on the tour, teamed up with fellow Belgian Xavier Malisse, and older brother Christophe Rochus partnered Gilles Muller from Luxembourg. The two Belgians gelled quickest and took the first two sets 6-4, 7-5. Then Rochus and Muller turned the match around, grabbing the next two sets 6-3, 6-3. The final set was surprisingly taken 6-2 by Malisse and Rochus as they switched tactics at the right time.

Written by Michael Burke-Velji notas_de_prensa_archivo