Yayuk upsets Fernandez in Acura Classic
Yayuk upsets Fernandez in Acura Classic
MANHATTAN BEACH, California (Agencies): Indonesia's best
tennis player, Yayuk Basuki, played one of her most enchanting
games as she tuned-up for the U.S. Open with a second-round win
over seventh seed Mary Joe Fernandez in the Acura Classic
championships on Wednesday.
Yayuk, currently ranked 33 in the world, defied the odds to
claim a straight-set 6-3, 7-5 victory over the American world
number 13, one of two big names to fall on the fourth day of the
US$430,000 tournament.
Eleventh seed Lisa Raymond joined her compatriot to walk off
the court, crashing to Swedish rising star Asa Carlsson also in
straight sets 3-6, 3-6.
The notable scalp lengthened Yayuk's long casualty list since
going professional almost five years ago. The native of
Yogyakarta, reached round four in her fourth successive Wimbledon
by upsetting Zina Garrison-Jackson.
Yayuk capped her giant-killing record last April when she
toppled world number seven Gabriela Sabatini in their Federation
Cup battle in Jakarta.
Except for Fernandez and Raymond, the other seeded players
marched into the next round.
Top seed Arantxa Sanchez Vicario of Spain didn't break a sweat
in her second-round match when her opponent, American Kathy
Rinaldi, was forced to withdraw due to illness. Rinaldi, who
first beat fellow American Lori McNeil in three sets, suffered
food poisoning Tuesday night.
Sanchez Vicario will play 16th seed Sabine Appelmans of
Belgium in the third round. Appelmans was a 6-4, 6-4 winner
Wednesday over Mana Endo of Japan.
Second seed Conchita Martinez was the first to reach the
fourth round after a tough match with France's Julie Halard,
posting a 6-7 (6-8), 6-0, 6-3 victory.
Becker out
Also on Wednesday, world number one Andre Agassi and two-time
champion Michael Chang survived spirited challenges, but Boris
Becker was one of four seeds to fall in second-round play at the
ATP Championships in Mason, Ohio.
The fourth-ranked Becker, making his first appearance since
reaching the Wimbledon final, fell short in a tight struggle with
Dutch left-hander Jan Siemerink 7-5, 7-6 (9-7).
"Unfortunately now, I'll be practicing a lot the next few days
instead of playing a couple more matches," Becker said.
Top seed Agassi struggled through a tough opening set before
roaring through the second in overcoming Czech Daniel Vacek 7-6
(7-5), 6-1, while fourth seed Chang was extended by 157th-ranked
fellow American Alex O'Brien, prevailing 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 to reach
the third round.
Joining Becker on the sidelines was fifth-seeded Russian star
Yevgeny Kafelnikov, who fell 6-4, 7-5 to Bernd Karbacher of
Germany.
Renzo Furlan of Italy bounced ninth seed and twice French Open
champion Sergi Bruguera of Spain 6-2, 6-4, and Patrick Rafter of
Australia upset 14th seed Andrei Medvedev of Ukraine 4-6, 6-1, 7-
6 (7-5).
Becker was frustrated at his inability to capitalize on five
break points in the first set -- three in the seventh game and
two in the ninth.
"I had a number of chances in the first set," Becker said.
"But I couldn't take my opportunities. I knew that with Jan
playing well it could be very costly and it was."
The second set went down to a tie-breaker during which Becker
never held a set point. The 35th-ranked Siemerink completed the
upset on his fourth match point.