PHILIPPOUSSIS' RIDE ENDS.Byline: Steve Wilstein Steve Wilstein is an Associated Press national sports writer and columnist based in New York. He covers sports events around the globe, including the Grand Slam of Tennis, the World Series, Super Bowl, and Olympics, and has won more than 25 writing awards. Associated Press Associated Press: see news agency. Associated Press (AP) Cooperative news agency, the oldest and largest in the U.S. and long the largest in the world. Everything Mark Philippoussis Mark Anthony Philippoussis (born November 7, 1976) is an Australian tennis player. He turned professional in 1994 and as of 2007 resides in Nevada, United States. His background is a combination of Greek and Italian and he is well known for his powerful physique, standing at 6 ft 5 did right against Pete Sampras Peter “Pete” Sampras (born 12 August 1971), is a former World No. 1 tennis player from the United States. During his 15-year career he won a record 14 Grand Slam men's singles titles in 52 appearances. Sampras finished as No. he did wrong today when his fling with fame ended in the Australian Open
Rattled by eight double-faults, sliced and diced silly by fellow Aussie Mark Woodforde Mark Woodforde (born September 23, 1965) is a retired professional tennis player from Australia. He is most famously remembered as one half of "The Woodies", a doubles partnership with Todd Woodbridge. , the 19-year-old Philippoussis meekly succumbed 6-2, 6-2, 6-2 two days after knocking Sampras out of the No. 1 ranking. On a day when chilly breezes swirled around Center Court, Philippoussis lacked the composure and control he showed under the closed roof against Sampras. He started out flat and subdued, then couldn't harness his tremendous power when he fell behind. "It was very hard for me, after beating Sampras, to come back," Philippoussis said. "I was maybe too relaxed. I wasn't pumped up enough for the match. When things didn't go well at the start, I couldn't get myself pumped up. I don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. why. . . . It's a big occasion for me, one of the biggest matches of my life. For a match like that, I wanted to play better." Woodforde, a 30-year-old left-hander who once was the top-ranked Australian, teased Philippoussis in that early break with angled slices, hard groundstrokes, even a moonball that sent the teen scurrying scur·ry intr.v. scur·ried, scur·ry·ing, scur·ries 1. To go with light running steps; scamper. 2. To flurry or swirl about. n. pl. scur·ries 1. The act of scurrying. far behind the baseline. When Philippoussis caught up to the ball and sent it back, Woodforde put away the game with a forehand forehand the head, neck, shoulders, withers and forelimbs of the horse. down the line. Meanwhile, a cocky Russian who talks big and plays fast, Yevgeny Kafelnikov issued a warning to his rivals at the Australian Open: "Watch out!" Kafelnikov, dubbed AK-47 by other players, blasted past MaliVai Washington 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 to reach the quarterfinals. The way Kafelnikov figures it, he can beat anyone left in the tournament in the next three rounds and capture his first Grand Slam title. "I've got $10 that says you'll win," a television interviewer told him as he walked off court. "Make it $100, I won't disappoint you," Kafelnikov responded. The legal sports books aren't so sure, making him 11-2 behind favorites Andre Agassi, Michael Chang and Boris Becker. That's quite a leap of faith for someone who's never gotten past the semis of a major, someone who has a solid baseline game but no huge weapon, someone who is ranked No. 6 and may have to play Becker next. But shyness and insecurity are not problems for Kafelnikov, even if players like Agassi say he ought to prove himself a little more before popping off. "The player who I never won against is out of the tournament, Pete Sampras," Kafelnikov said. "Everybody else, I beat them. So why can't I win the Australian Open? I feel like I am in very good shape now. I am completely satisfied with the whole aspect of my game, and I've got enough confidence to win it." No. 7 Thomas Enqvist of Sweden also moved into the quarters, beating Italy's Renzo Furlan 7-5, 6-0, 6-3. In women's fourth-round matches, No. 2 Conchita Martinez beat Lindsay Davenport 6-3, 6-1, and No. 16 Amanda Coetzer defeated Elena Likhovsteva 6-3, 6-3. Martinez next plays No. 8 Anke Huber of Germany, a 6-3, 6-2 winner over Austria's Barbara Schett. CAPTION(S): PHOTO Yevgeny Kafelnikov celebrates his win over MaliVai Washington in the Australian Open. Associated Press |
|
||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion