Football
Reuters 18y

Tennis-Ginepri overcomes jitters to advance in Indianapolis

INDIANAPOLIS, July 20 - Top seed James Blake and
two-time winner Andy Roddick were both put to stern tests
before earning victories and places in the RCA Championships
quarter-finals on Thursday.

Blake, who had never been past the first round at the event
in three previous appearances, ended the run of Wesley
Whitehouse, defeating the South African qualifier 6-7 6-3 6-4.

Second seed Roddick laboured to a 7-6 7-5 third-round
victory over hard-hitting fellow American Jeff Morrison.

"I felt I played well all night," Roddick told reporters.
"But on every window of opportunity I had, he came up with a
huge serve or a great volley.

"I played some of my best stuff this year, but I barely got
the win. I was fortunate."

The 2003 and 2004 champion was out-aced 12 to nine by
Morrison, who played well above his 183rd ranking.

World number six Blake was broken after a double-fault
while serving for victory at 5-2 in the final set, but the
American steadied to finally lift the win on the back of 19
aces and four breaks of serve.

"I had to weather the storm," Blake told reporters. "I had
a hiccup at 5-2. I may have eased off the throttle a bit.

"When you're serving for the match, things are a little
different in your head. I just didn't execute as well as I
liked."

The loss ended a career-best run for 512th-ranked qualifier
Whitehouse, who upset Marat Safin a day earlier.

Titleholder Robby Ginepri missed a second-set match point
but stepped up the pressure to finally defeat Russian Igor
Kunitsyn 6-2 6-7 6-1.

The 17th-ranked Ginepri now stands a modest 8-16 this
season a year after winning his second career title at
Indianapolis.

Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile overcame American
number 14 Vince Spadea 6-4 7-6. Belgian ninth seed Xavier
Malisse out-duelled Russian Dmitry Tursunov, the number seven,
7-6 3-6 6-3.

Eighth-seeded 2003 finalist Paradorn Srichaphan got out of
a 2-4 deficit in his third set against Paul Goldstein,
overcoming the American 5-7 6-3 7-6 as he saved three match
points.

"I thought the match was lost," Srichaphan told reporters.
"But he seemed to tighten up as he served for 5-2. We both
played well on returns."

The Thai, who has suffered a dozen first-round defeats this
season, faces Ginepri on Friday.

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