Aussie hopes dashed as Philippoussis falls to Kafelnikov

Aussie hopes dashed as Philippoussis falls to Kafelnikov
(09/23/2000; ITF Tennis Gold Site)

In one of the most anticipated matches of the day, Australia's Mark Philippoussis took on Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the third round of the Olympic Men's Tennis Event. Scheduled the last match of the day, the No. 11 seeded Philippoussis hoped to avoid the night session blues that had ended the Olympic hopes of countrymen Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter. Kafelnikov, the 1999 Australian Open champion, no doubt hoped to regain his former spot as the numero uno in Russian tennis so recently assumed by US Open champion Marat Safin.

After a shaky start, Philippoussis came alive, cancelling an early break from No. 5 seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov to level the match at 4-all. Last year's Davis Cup hero Philippoussis, had finally found his serve and forced the Russian to a tiebreak. But Kafelnikov rallied, breaking Philippoussis early in the tiebreak and, despite a nervous double fault on his first set point, the Russian dominated, taking the first set 7-6 (4).

It was obvious which player the predominantly Australian crowd supported as their energy ebbed and flowed with each Philippoussis failure or success. Although there was little to cheer for in the first set, the start second was more to the crowd's liking as Philippoussis broke the Russian in the opening game. But at 2-1, Kafelnikov broke back, served to go ahead 3-2 then broke again to take a 4-2 lead. A frustrated Philippoussis, with teammate Patrick Rafter looking on, could find no answers for the Kafelnikov game. Despite the now familiar chant, "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oy, Oy, Oy" from his ever hopeful fans, it was more "Oy vey" than "Ole" as Philippoussis fell to Kafelnikov 76(4) 63.

In the quarterfinals, Kafelnikov will face the No. 2 seed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil who defeated Ivan Ljubicic of Croatia earlier today. It will be the seventh meeting between the two players with Kuerten leading the series 4-2. Kuerten has won the last three times they have played including their last meeting in the quarterfinals at 2000 Roland Garros, won by the Brazilian 63 36 46 64 62.

END--www.tennisgold.com/

Philippoussis out of Olympic tennis
By DARREN WALTON (SMH-The Age)
10:22PM, Sep 23

Australia lost its last surviving tennis player in the Olympic men's singles draw when Mark Philippoussis crashed to a 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 third round loss to Russian fifth seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov tonight.

The defeat leaves 17-year-old Jelena Dokic as the host country's only hope of winning Australia's elusive first Olympic singles medal.

Philippoussis dropped his serve in the opening game of the match but went on the attack to break back to level at 4-all, only to concede the set in the tiebreaker.

The 11th seed persisted to rush the net at every opportunity on Kafelnikov's serve and was rewarded when he broke the Russian in the opening game of the second set.

Kafelnikov, a two-time grand slam champion and world No.8, struck back in the fourth game, Philippoussis eventually double-faulting after staving off numerous break points in the longest game of the contest.

The setback proved decisive.

Kafelnikov broke again two games later to establish a 4-2 lead and comfortably held serve twice to close out the match in one hour and 29 minutes.

Kafelnikov will play Brazilian second seed Gustavo Kuerten in the quarter-finals.

MORE SEEDS CRASH INCLUDING PHILIPPOUSSIS

Crosscourt.com

Australian men are no more in the singles at the Olympic Games. Mark Philippoussis became the latest and last of the Australian men to fall, following on form Andrew Ilie, Lleyton Hewitt and Patrick Rafter. Unfortunately Philippoussis, Hewitt and Rafter all lost when they played night matches.

Philippoussis, who lost the match 7-6, 6-3 was in trouble from the start when Yevgeny Kafelnikov broke is serve in the first game. The Australian managed to break back for 4-4 but crumbled in the tiebreak 7-4. He had his chances in the second set when he returned the favour to Kafelnikov by breaking his serve early on but a couple of games later Kafelnikov broke back for 2-2 and from then on Philippoussis was being outclassed and he won just one more game.

"The conditions are definitely different (at night)," said Philippoussis. " You know, I've been hitting the ball really well, and it's very surprising the way I came out today, and I was just, just mishitting the ball and just couldn't find the middle of the strings, and you know, I got back into it. And I think that first set obviously was very important, and you know I was up a break in the second, 2-0, 2-1.

"I had a high forehand volley game point

Volleys:

missed that. I had a 30-Love up the next game and had 30-All
had a high forehand volley, missed that. And you just can't afford to do those unforced errors, and, yes, it was tough out there, but I enjoyed it."

Dokic was just sensational in reaching the quarters at her first Olympics. She was expecting to play Lindsay Davenport but the American withdrew and Rossana de los Rios received a walkover into the third round. Dokic was often behind the eight ball in the match but she was able to stride back into contention with some tremendous returns.

Dokic beat de los Rios 7-6, 7-5 after the Paraguayan served for the first set at 5-4 and had set points. In the second set she jumped to a 5-1 lead but at the start of that set Dokic rolled her ankle and dropped her serve in the fourth game.

"I hit a backhand and I was sort of on my way back and I somehow went over on it, it was just lucky," said Dokic. "I was really scared because it hurt at the beginning, so I got worried. It sort of got a little better."

Dokic said her near loss of the set was due to a concentration lapse as she was thinking about her ankle. She got herself back into it by attacking and as she began to hold serve some more, her confidence grew. de Los Rios played too many loose points.

"I do play better when I am down but this one and the one before were against players who had nothing to lose, and I'm the one supposed to be winning," said Dokic. "People expect you to beat players like that. I haven't played as well as I want to in the last two matches, but I've still gotten through them which is good. I'm looking forward to the next one and I have nothing to lose. I'm sure I'll feel a lot better."

Dokic faces Amanda Coetzer who demolished Sabine Appelmans 6-3, 6-1.

Gustavo Kuerten made sure of his place in the quarterfinals after the first set. The Brazilian had to fight hard against Ivan Ljubicic with his big serve, especially in that first set, but once they got to the tiebreak the match seemed to open up for Kuerten and he advanced 7-6, 6-4..

The second seed is looking to make amends for his dismal performance at the US Open earlier this month when he became the first second seed since 1994 to lose in the first round of the Open. He had gone back to Brazil to get over the disappointment and then arrived in Sydney on his birthday, 10th September, and started practicing. He said then, the practice time he had was going to make the difference.

It has pretty much been the case because so many players, Hewitt and Marat Safin as cases in point, failed to make a mark in Sydney because of their extended commitments in New York.

Kuerten appears to have adapted to the courts quite well. He moved fluidly and was able to put the pressure on Ljubicic in the second set.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, being heavily promoted in the "New Balls" programme by the ATP Tour as one of the outstanding young players around, defeated Daniel Nestor 7-6, 6-3. Ferrero, a semifinalist at this year's French Open, is a player to be reckoned and will now come up against Arnaud di Pasquale after the French player upset the third seed Magnus Norman 7-6, 7-6, continuing the carnage of seeds in the men's draw.

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