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'Confidence booster'

Spadea downs Kuerten at Swiss Open

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Posted: Wednesday July 07, 1999 01:40 PM

Vincent Spadea: "To win against the top seed and world No. 5 is a great confidence booster." Clive Brunskill/Allsport

GSTAAD, Switzerland (AP) -- Top-seed and world No. 5 Gustavo Kuerten double faulted on match point to lose to American Vincent Spadea on Wednesday in the second round of the $560,000 Swiss Open.

Kuerten, considered a top favorite at the alpine tournament after reaching a career-high No. 5 in the world rankings, stunned the crowd when he crashed out 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (8-6).

"To win against the top seed and world No. 5 is a great confidence booster," said Spadea, still looking for his first tournament win. "I know now that I can beat anyone at this tournament."

A gritty Spadea, ranked 29th in the ATP rankings, demonstrated right from the start he would be trouble for Kuerten, breaking the Brazilian twice in the opening set.

"He has so many weapons I knew I had to find his weakness," said Spadea. "I tried to attack his second serve because I'd noticed that when he gets his first serve in, it's hard to return. That was key for me."

It was a sweet moment for Spadea, who was knocked out of the Monte Carlo quarterfinals by eventual champion Kuerten. The win marked the first time the American bested Kuerten, having lost their three previous contests.

"It was nice to come back and win that match," said Spadea, making his second appearance in Gstaad. "It was satisfying to beat him on clay after losing in Monte Carlo ... and to win my first match against him."

In remaining first round play, fifth seed and 1997 champion Felix Mantilla of Spain marched through to the second round, defeating Argentina's Franco Squillari in straight sets.

Mantilla, who won in Barcelona earlier this season, had little trouble dispatching the Argentinean 6-3, 6-2, breaking Squillari's opening serve of the match. After the two traded breaks later in the set, Mantilla broke again at 5-3.

Looking to add an eighth clay-court title to his resume, Mantilla will take on Morocco's Hicham Arazi in the second round.

In other first-round play, France's Cedric Pioline made a stunning 5-game comeback in the final set of his match against seventh-seed Mariano Zabaleta of Argentina only to lose in the decisive tiebreak.

World junior champion from 1995-1997, Zabaleta edged Pioline 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4) in two hours, four minutes.

Down 5-1 in the final set, Pioline rallied back to win the next five games to lead 6-5. But Zabaleta held serve to even the score, then made two mini-breaks at 5-4 in the tiebreak for the victory.

 

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