Rusedski breaks shoe, but advances in Hamlet
Posted: Thursday August 27, 1998 01:07 AM
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Rusedski defeated Fernando Meligeni 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) on Wednesday in the Hamlet Cup Jamie Squire/Allsport |
COMMACK, New York (AP) -- Greg Rusedski, in only his second tournament since being sidelined seven weeks with a tear in his left ankle, overcame a broken right shoe during the tiebreaker to beat Brazil's Fernando Meligeni 6-2, 7-6 (8-6) on Wednesday in the Hamlet Cup.
Meligeni thought Rusedski, last year's U.S. Open runnerup, was stalling for time in the tiebreaker as he changed shoes with the score 2-2.
"The heel actually fell off," the 24-year-old Briton said. "I can't help it if my shoe fell apart and I certainly did not want to risk another broken ankle. I showed it to the officials and actually pulled on the shoe to show them the break.
"Finally Melegeni believed me. What else could he do? The evidence was there?"
Rusedski committed 38 unforced errors, but "that is of no concern as long as I won," he said. "It takes seven matches to win the U.S. Open and all seven aren't going to be outstanding."
David Prinosil of Germany, who got into the tournament because Yegeny Kafelnikov withdrew because of injury, beat defending Hamlet champion and current French Open titleist Carlos Moya of Spain 6-2, 6-2. Moya is ranked 10th in the world, Prinosil 81st.
Russia's Matt Safin, an 18-year-old rookie on the ATP Tour, reached a tournament quarterfinals for the first time by defeating Filip Dewulf of Belgium 7-6 (8-6), 6-1.
And Daniel Vacek of the Czech Republic upset ninth-seeded Jan Siemerink of the Netherlands 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.
Safin, who started the year ranked 204th, climbed to No. 72 this week, partially as a result of scoring five-set victories over Andre Agassi and Gustavo Kuerten in the French Open. He then lost to Cedric Pioline in the third round.
"My game has been unbelievably bad since then," said Safin. "I lost my confidence and played bad ... bad ... bad. There was no physical problem. The problem for me was in my head."
What turned things around?
"Less practice," he said, then added: "My early run was not normal. I was not expected to beat Andre. Then I said, 'Why not?'
"Right now I'm playing with confidence, but it's still not my best tennis. I still need more work on my volleys and my serve. My speed is exactly what I want.
"With the way my confidence is, I hope to be playing for a long time."
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