Devastating Srichapan demolishes Montanes

Barring some minor hiccups in the end, second seeded Thai Paradon Srichapan was off to a flying start outplaying Spain’s unseeded Alber...

Barring some minor hiccups in the end, second seeded Thai Paradon Srichapan was off to a flying start outplaying Spain’s unseeded Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-3 to enter the pre-quarterfinals in the ATP 2004 World Tour Tata Open tennis championships at the Nungambakkam Stadium here today.

The Thai hardly broke a sweat but for Montanes, a second round loser here last year, it was a futile sweat and toil. The Spaniard took the first game of the first set holding serve. But from then on unleashing lethal forehand cross court shots and serving at blistering speed touching 198 kmph, Srichapan took full control of the match.

As the Spaniard was out of sorts returning into the net or hitting his return out repeatedly, Srichapan broke montanes in the third, fifth and seventh games to be win the first 6-1. The sparse centre court crowd lapping up the demolition act of Srichapan, rooting wildly for him, expected some fight back from Montanes in the second set. But Srichapan, who had finished 11th in the 2003 ATP leader board, gave no quarter to the Spaniard.

He broke the error-prone Montanes in the second game and went onto hold serve. He was up 3-1 and then again 5-3. But in the decisive ninth game, the Thai was given some anxious moments by Montanes who drew level 30-30 and also forced deuce. But with another whipping forehand passing shot, Srichapan wrapped up the match in 45 minutes.