Blake cruises into Thai Open quarter-finals

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

BANGKOK, Sep 28 (Reuters) Third seed James Blake of the United States breezed through to the final eight of the Thailand Open with a 6-3 6-2 win over Monaco's Benjamin Balleret today.

Blake barely gave Balleret time to find his feet, finishing him off in 54 minutes to set up a quarter-final tie with Finn Jarkko Nieminen, who beat Canada's Frank Dancevic 2-6 7-6 6-4.

''It's so far so good, and I hope I can keep playing like that,'' Blake told a news conference.

Blake arrived in Bangkok a day after the U.S.'s Davis Cup defeat to Russia and said he barely had time to prepare for this week's hardcourt competition.

''These guys here had a few days to get ready but I've had little time off,'' he said. ''It's not easy coming here from playing on clay. It could've been difficult.'' Former world number one Marat Safin had to battle his way into the next round for a second day running beating Frenchman Julien Benneteau 7-6 6-7 6-2.

Safin appeared annoyed as Benneteau kept returning his powerful serves, triggering bouts of screaming and racket throwing by the fiery Russian, who has not won a tournament since January 2005.

After two tight sets that went to tie breaks, 26-year-old Safin regained his composure to go four games clear and tie up the match.

''I didn't want to have any more trouble in the third set because he was returning all my serves,'' Safin told a news conference.

''I'm disappointed that I've found myself in a tough position two days running against someone who was winning without doing anything special.'' ''He gave me some real problems, so I had to be more aggressive,'' he added.

Tim Henman took two hours and 16 minutes to get past Alex Bogdanovic in his second all-British tie of the tournament, winning 6-3 5-7 6-1 having seen off teenager Andy Murray in the first round.

Henman won the first set comfortably but the 148-ranked Bogdanovic fought back in the second to force a third set.

''He took a few risks and played an attacking game,'' Henman told reporters. ''He didn't play like he was a low rank.'' Seventh seed Robby Ginepri of the United States served up 14 aces in his defeated of Thailand's Danai Udomchoke 6-3 6-3 to make the final eight.

REUTERS DH KP2057

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