Mauresmo beats Hantuchova, enters semifinals

DUBAI: Wimbledon champion Amelie Mauresmo overcame Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 to reach the semifinals of the $1.5 million Dubai Open here on Thursday.

The French heroine had flown to the Gulf only on Monday after answering a last minute call to rescue a depleted tournament, and although she appeared to be feeling the pace of her schedule and of the contest in the second set, she rallied cleverly to snatch the result.

``I kind of felt sleepy in the second set, perhaps because I was so much in control in the first set and it made things look so easy,'' Mauresmo reckoned. In another quarterfinal match fifth-seeded Jelena Jankovic beat fourth-seeded Martina Hingis 7-6(3), 6-2.

Henin survives

Defending champion Justine Henin survived a major scare from 16-year-old qualifier Tamira Paszek before advancing to the quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Top-seeded Henin's spotless Dubai record — she has yet to lose a match in four visits — was on the brink of ending when Paszek was one point from serving for the match in the second set. However, Henin's experience prevailed 4-6, 7-5, 6-1 in just under two-and-a-half hours.

Martina Hingis, the 2001 winner, also came through a battle against Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-4 in 2 hours, 40 minutes. Hingis converted only five of 17 break chances.

At Rotterdam, fifth seed Novak Djokovic was forced to battle for over two hours before defeating Andrei Pavel 6-7, 6-1, 6-3 in the second round of the World Indoor Tournament on Wednesday. Sixth seed David Ferrer of Spain cruised through to the last eight after a 6-2, 6-4 win over Belgian Kristof Vliegen.

Defending champion Radek Stepanek, seeded eight, put out fellow Czech Jan Hernych 6-2, 7-5 in his first round match.

At Memphis, top-seeded Andy Roddick defeated Sweden's Thomas Johansson 6-2, 7-5 to advance to the second round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships on Wednesday.

Roddick was playing for the first time since reaching the semifinals of last week's tournament in San Jose. He broke Johansson twice to win the first set easily and won the final 12 points of the second set to advance.

Third-seeded Andy Murray, the San Jose winner, also advanced along with seventh-seeded Julien Benneteau and American teenager Sam Querrey.

Murray beat Canadian Frank Dancevic, overcome a 4-2 deficit in the final set for a 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory.

Other Important results:

At Dubai: (WTA Dubai Open): Singles: Quarterfinals: Amelie Mauresmo bt Daniela Hantuchova 6-3, 3-6, 6-4; Jelena Jankovic bt Martina Hingis 7-6(3), 6-2. Second round: Justine Henin bt Tamira Paszek 4-6, 7-5, 6-1; Amelie Mauresmo bt Vera Dushevina 6-2, 6-2; Svetlana Kuznetsova bt Meghann Shaughnessy 6-1, 7-6(4); Martina Hingis bt Anabel Medina Garrigues 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; Jelena Jankovic bt Mara Santangelo 6-3, 7-5.

At Rotterdam (ATP ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament): Second round: David Ferrer bt Kristof Vliegen 6-4, 6-2; Novak Djokovic bt Andrei Pavel 6-7(8), 6-1, 6-3; Nikolay Davydenko bt Marc Gicquel 6-3, 6-3; Mikhail Youzhny bt Robin Haase 6-2, 6-4. First round: Marc Gicquel bt Arnaud Clement 6-4, 6-3; Radek Stepanek bt Jan Hernych 6-2, 7-5; Philipp Kohlschreiber bt Gilles Simon 6-3, 3-1 retd.; Dennis van Scheppingen bt Gael Monfils 6-7(3), 6-4, 6-3; Rik de Voest bt Martin Verkerk 6-3, 7-6(0).

At Memphis (ATP Regions Morgan Keegan Championships & WTA Cellular South Cup): Men: Second round: Stefan Koubek bt Evgeny Korolev 7-6(4), 6-2; Teimuraz Gabashvili bt Alex Kuznetsov 5-7, 6-3, 6-4; First round: Andy Murray bt Frank Dancevic 6-3, 4-6, 6-4; Andy Roddick bt Thomas Johansson 6-2, 7-5; Benjamin Becker bt Robert Kendrick 2-6, 6-3, 6-4; Julien Benneteau bt Lee Hyung-taik 7-5, 6-3; Sam Querrey bt Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 6-2.

Women: Second round: Samantha Stosur bt Camille Pin 6-2, 6-7(1), 6-1; Bathanie Mattek bt Shenay Perry 6-2, 0-1 retd.; Laura Granville bt Jarmila Gajdosova 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; Sofia Arvidsson bt Nicole Pratt 5-7, 6-4, 6-3; Shahar Peer bt Milagros Sequera 6-0, 6-0; Ioana Raluca Olaru bt Abigail Spears 6-3, 6-3.

At Bogota (WTA Tour Copa Colsanitas): Second round: Roberta Vinci bt Alize Cornet 6-2, 6-3; Klara Zakopalova bt Pauline Parmentier 6-2, 6-3; Nathalie Vierin bt Conchita Martinez Granados 6-2, 6-2; Emilie Loit bt Paola Suarez 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.

At Buenos Aires (ATP Copa Telmex): Round-robin: Juan Monaco bt Potito Starace 6-3, 6-4; Martin Vasallo Arguello bt Stefano Galvani 6-2, 6-4; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Alberto Martin 6-1, 6-3; Diego Hartfield bt Jose Acasuso 6-3, retd.; Nicolas Devilder bt Juan Carlos Ferrero 1-6, 7-6(2), 6-0. — The Hindu