Top seeds scrape into Auckland quarters

AUCKLAND - Agence France-Presse

Spanish player David Ferrer overcomes a mid-match slump to beat Taiwan’s Lu Yen-Hsun in Auckland. REUTERS photo

Top seeds David Ferrer and Philipp Kohlschreiber both survived scares to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP men’s tournament in Auckland yesterday.

Defending champion and number one seed Ferrer suffered a mid-match slump as he came under pressure from Lu Yen-Hsun of Taiwan in the warm-up event for next week’s Australian Open, eventually grinding out a 6-4, 2-6, 6-3 victory.

“The court was very fast and sometimes I couldn’t defend, but anyway, I won the match,” a relieved Ferrer said.

Chasing a record-equaling fourth Auckland title, the Spanish world number five made a perfect start by breaking Lu in the second game, aided by three double faults from his opponent.

The dogged Lu broke back seven games later, only for Ferrer immediately to regain his advantage and take the first set 6-4.

But the Spaniard’s serve misfired in the second and Lu, ranked 60 in the world, helped himself to a double break, claiming the set 6-2 to force a decider.

Ferrer regrouped and won the set 6-3 to set up a quarterfinal today with Slovak Lukas Lacko, who defeated eighth seed Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 6-3, 7-5.

Kohlschreiber, the second seed, was also unconvincing and committed 52 unforced errors and four double faults in a rusty 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 6-3 win over Colombian Alejandro Falla.

The German managed an early break and appeared to be cruising as he raced to a 5-2 lead in the first set before Falla broke back to force a tie-break, which the German comfortably won 7-4.

But Falla, a quarterfinalist here last year, continued to press Kohlschreiber in the second, breaking the world number 19’s serve in the 10th game to claim the set 6-4.

Kohlschreiber finally took control to win the third set 6-3.

Kohlschreiber will face Belgian Xavier Malisse today.