Ancic joins Ferrer in Hamburg quarter-finals

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

HAMBURG, May 18: Croat Mario Ancic battled to a three-set victory over fifth-seeded American James Blake to reach the Hamburg Masters quarter-finals today.

The number 12 seed won 4-6 7-5 7-6 to join David Ferrer in the last eight after the Spaniard enjoyed a 6-2 6-4 win against compatriot and former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Blake, who has risen to number seven in the world, served for the match at 5-4 in the final set but Ancic broke back and won the tiebreak with his 10th ace of the contest.

The towering Croat next plays the winner of today's clash between Nikolay Davydenko of Russia, a semi-finalist at Roland Garros in 2005 and at number four the highest seed left in the draw, and Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

The 24-year-old Ferrer earlier beat fellow Spaniard Ferrero in chilly conditions on the slow red clay of centre court.

The 16th seed also triumphed over Ferrero in Monte Carlo last month and maintained his hold over the former French Open champion to set up a meeting with number eight seed Tommy Robredo, another Spaniard, or France's Paul-Henri Mathieu.

Number 15 seeded Czech Radek Stepanek reached the last eight by defeating Sweden's Robin Soederling 6-3 6-2.

Giant Belarussian Max Mirnyi also went through 6-3 6-2 against Frenchman Gilles Simon, conqueror of 2004 French Open champion Gaston Gaudio of Argentina yesterday.

In other matches on Thursday, seventh seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez comes up against Spain's Fernando Verdasco and Sebastian Grosjean of France plays Argentina's Jose Acasuso.

Recognised as a warm-up event for the French Open, which begins at the end of this month, this year's Hamburg tournament has suffered from a number of high-profile withdrawals.

The world's top two -- Roland Garros champion Rafael Nadal and last year's Hamburg winner Roger Federer -- both pulled out due to fatigue after Sunday's marathon Rome final won by Nadal.

Argentina's David Nalbandian, Andy Roddick of the U.S. and Australia's Lleyton Hewitt had already withdrawn to leave just five of the world's top 10 at the start of the event.

REUTERS

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