Two Kiwis Remain As Tournaments Reach Quarterfinals

Two New Zealanders will take the court on singles quarterfinal day in Wellington as several seeds fell by the wayside in the Configure Express Pro and men’s Futures events.

However Jarmila Groth the women’s top seed was one of the survivors winning through to  the quarterfinals of the singles at the US$25,000 tournament in Wellington.

The world No42 defeated Germany’s Nicola Geuer 6-2 6-1 and will now face countrywoman Isabella Holland in what could be an exciting match on Friday at the Renouf Tennis Centre. Holland outlasted fellow Australian Tammi Patterson 5-7 6-3 6-2 in a match which lasted over two and a half hours.

Also through in the women’s draw is the fourth seed Eirini Georgatou of Greece who beat Brit, Melanie South in straight sets while Aussie Monika Wejnert accounted for countrywoman Jade Hopper 6-3 6-4.

Kiwi, Katherine Westbury who has a WTA ranking of 743 had a long drawn out match against seventh seed and world No262 Iijima Kumiko(Japan). Both players hit with two hands on their forehands and backhands and the match featured plenty of acute angles and dropshots. The Japanese player coming away the winner 6-4 6-2.

In men’s second round action Russian-Kiwi Artem Sitak the fifth seed beat Kiwi-Aussie Marvin Barker 6-1 6-4 to move into the quarters. Barker is a rarity in the fact he serves and volleys, however Sitak was too strong from the baseline.

Sitak was potentially lined up to take on another Kiwi, Michael Venus in the last eight, but as fate would have it Venus, the third seed with a ranking of 309 was bundled out by 939th ranked James Duckworth of Australia 6-1 7-5.  Fortunately the eighth seed Rubin Statham won in straight sets against his Australian opponent, Joey Swaysland 6-2 6-4 to set up a clash against second seed Sebastian Rieschick of Germany.

Rieschick made it through after a 6-2 7-5 hard-fought victory against Kiwi teenager Sebastian Lavie

Statham is also in the doubles final to be played on Friday early evening. He teamed with Australian Nima Roshan to beat Groth and Dayne Kelly in straight sets and will take on the Australian pair of Klein and Propoggia.

And while fourth seed Sam Groth can fire down serves of 240kmph his second round opponent Adam Lee proved he can return them, to a certain extent. Lee, 17 a schoolboy  with no ranking at all was beaten by the 333rd ranked Groth 7-5 6-4. Groth hit 15 aces in total in the match, including three in each of his first two service games, but Lee only had his serve broken twice in the whole match.

Top men’s seed Brydan Klein had a feisty match against Dane Propggia eventually winning 7-5 6-3 and will play unseeded Italian Riccardo Sinincropi who beat sixth seed Dayne Kelly(Australia). Also beaten was seventh seed Harri Heliovaara(Finland) by Australian Ben Mitchell.

Results (New Zealand unless noted)

Configure Express Pro US$25,000 Results

Women’s singles results – second round:

(1)Jarmila Groth(AUS) bt Nicola Geuer(GER) 6-2 6-1,  Isabella Holland(AUS) bt Tammi Patterson(AUS) 5-7 6-3 6-2, (3)Arina Rodionova(RUS) bt Anna Zaja(GER) 2-6 6-1 6-1, (6)Elitsa Kostova(BUL) bt Bianca Botto(PER) 6-3 6-2,  (5)Erika Sema(JPN) bt Timea Babos(HUN) 4-6 6-3 6-2,  (4)Eirini Georgatou(GRE) bt Melanie South 6-4 6-4, (7)Kumiko Iijima(JPN) bt Katherine Westbury 6-4 6-2, Monika Wejnert(AUS) bt Jade Hopper(AUS) 6-3 6-4.

Women’s doubles semifinal:

Timea Babos(HUN)/Tammi Patterson(AUS) bt (1)Kumiko Iijima(JPN)/Erika Sema(JPN) 7-6(7) 1-6 10-3

Men’s Futures US$15,000 results – second round :

(5)Artem Sitak(Russia) bt Marvin Barker 6-1 6-4,  James Duckworth(AUS) bt (3)Michael Venus 6-1 7-5,  (1)Brydan Klein(AUS) bt Dane Propoggia(AUS) 7-5 6-3, Riccardo Sinicropi(ITA) bt (6)Dayne Kelly(AUS) 6-3 7-6(3), (4)Sam Groth(AUS) bt Adam Lee 7-5 6-4,  Ben Mitchell(AUS) bt (7)Harri Heliovaara(FIN) 6-1 6-2, (2)Sebastian Rieschick(GER) bt Sebatian Lavie 6-2 7-5, (8)Rubin Statham bt Joey Swaysland(AUS) 6-2 6-4.

Men’s doubles semifinals:

(2)Nima Rosha(AUS)/Rubin Statham bt (4)Sam Groth(AUS)/Dayne(AUS) 6-1 7-6(1), (1)Brydan Klein(AUS)/Dane Propoggia(AUS) bt Richard Becker(GER)/Harri Heliovaar(FIN) 6-3 6-1.