Results - Friday August 14, 2009

Singles Quarterfinals Completed: Istomin Falls, Capdeville Advances

Denis Istomin, the number 1 seed at the LG&T Tennis Challenger, fell to the number 6 seed from Israel, Harel Levy, in the only quarterfinal singles match to go the 3 set distance. The match featured only 1 service break in each of the first 2 sets. In the first set, Levy broke Istomin in the first game, and both held serve from then on, with Levy taking the set 6-4. In the second set, both held serve until, with Levy serving at 4-5, 40-love, Istomin came back to deuce, then held on after several more deuce games to win the set 6-4. In the third set, all seemed lost for Levy when Istomin broke his first serve of the set to go up 2-0. Levy broke back with Istomin serving at 4-2, after another multi-deuce game, to get the set back on serve at 4-3. Levy held serve to even the set at 4-4, and with Istomin serving at 4-4, Levy broke serve again to take a 5-4 lead. With the match outcome on his racquet, Levy held his final serve to take the set and the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Last year's reigning LG&T Champion Paul Capdeville of Chile defeated Sergei Bubka of the Ukraine this afternoon. Capdeville is the number 2 seed this year, and currently holds an ATP ranking of 104, down from his all time best ranking of 76 last May. Capdeville took charge in the first set after breaking Bubka’s serve to take a 4-3 lead, cruising from there to win the set 6-4. In the second set Capdeville had an early break at 1-1, and closed out the match with his usual display of consistency, intelligent play and anticipation of his opponent’s shots. Capdeville will face Rik DeVoest of South Africa tomorrow afternoon in the semi-finals.

Kevin Anderson (RSA) defeats Lester Cook (USA) 6-2, 4-1 retired

Cook, entered into the tournament as a wild card, was the last remaining American in the singles draw. Kevin Anderson is the #7 seed in the tournament, and was leading the second set 2-1 when Cook took a medical time out with what appeared to be a groin pull. He limped his way through the next 2 games before he called it quits.

Rik De Voest (RSA) defeats Tigran Martirosyan (ARM) 6-4, 6-2

South African Rik De Voest had an early first set break to go up 2-0, then cruised to the finish line defeating Armenian Tigran Martirosyan 6-4, 6-2. Martirosyan advanced into the main draw as a lucky loser after the #3 seed Chris Guccione (AUS) withdrew due to injury. De Voest will appear in both the singles semi-final Saturday and doubles final on Sunday.

de Voest/Lipsky defeats Amritraj/Qureshi 7-6(4), 6-3

The number 1 seed doubles team of Rik De Voest (RSA) and Scott Lipsky (USA) defeated the #3 doubles team of Prakash Amritaj (IND) and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi (PAK) in a very entertaining feature match 7-6(4) 6-3. De Voest and Lipsky will face the winner of tomorrows other semi-final match between the unseeded teams of Kevin Anderson (RSA/Ryler deHeart(USA) and Carsten Ball (AUS)/ Kaes Van’t Hof (USA)