Yayuk maintains giant-killing run in Canadian Open
Yayuk maintains giant-killing run in Canadian Open
MONTREAL (Agencies): Yayuk Basuki of Indonesia continued her giant-killing run in the Canadian Open women's tennis tournament here on Thursday when she defeated Russian 16th seed Elena Likhovtseva for a place in the quarterfinals.
It was a tougher match for the unseeded Yayuk than her shock elimination of world number four Iva Majoli of Croatia on Wednesday. Composure and consistency helped Yayuk survive a nervy time in the second set before posting a 6-1, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 win.
Yayuk, whose natural talent earned her the Rolex Female Rookie of the Year award in 1991, plays most comfortably on grass. The hardcourt here, however, gave her another surface where her big serves and powerful forehands could be used to telling effect to outgun Likhovtseva.
The 25-year-old Indonesian, bidding farewell to the tennis circuit this year, will now meet 13th seed Amy Frazier of the United States in the quarterfinals. Frazier produced another upset when she beat eighth seed Mary Pierce of France 6-3, 6-3.
If Yayuk wins, she will reach her second career semifinal in a U.S. Open warm-up tournament. Her first was in the Acura Classic last year, with three straight victories over seeded players in the process. Her victims then were ninth seed Mary Joe-Fernandez, 13th seed Nathalie Tauziat and fourth seed Lindsay Davenport.
In other third-round actions, top seed Monica Seles of the United States and second seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain recorded straight-set victories.
Seles ousted ninth seed Gabriela Sabatini of Argentina, 7-6 (7-4), 6-1, and Olympic silver medalist Sanchez Vicario eliminated 10th seed Amanda Coetzer of South Africa, 7-5, 6-1.
Seles now faces sixth seed Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria, who was leading unseeded Jennifer Capriati of the United States, 6-2, 3-2, before Capriati retired with a hip injury. Capriati strained her left gluteal muscle while going for a drop-shot and told officials she could not continue.
Meanwhile, in the ATP Championship in Mason, Ohio, top seeded Peter Sampras and Olympic gold medalist Andre Agassi struggled through third round matches, as reigning Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek was upset at the $2.2 million event.
The top-ranked Sampras saved one match point in the third set and was forced to go the distance before defeating the tenacious 31st-ranked Mark Woodforde of Australia 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 7-6 (7- 4).
After losing the first set, the seventh-ranked Agassi gained control of his match against 187th-ranked qualifier and fellow American Alex O'Brien 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-0.
Seventh-seeded Krajicek of the Netherlands fell 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 to 10-seeded Thomas Enqvist of Sweden. The eighth-ranked Krajicek, who had problems with his first serve throughout the match, was a finalist at last week's Los Angeles tournament.
In a highly entertaining match, Sampras and Woodforde fought to the bitter end and constantly alternated having the advantage.
"Mark was very crafty out there," Sampras said after the two hour, 56 minute match. "He does everything very well. That's why he was one point away from beating me."
Earlier, 1995 Roland Garros champion Thomas Muster of Austria, the second seed, moved safely through, destroying Australia's Wimbledon semifinalist Jason Stoltenberg 6-2, 6-2.
Rain disrupted the tournament, forcing matches to be halted with former world number one Jim Courier holding a 1-0 lead in the third set over South African Wayne Ferreira.