Zvereva ends Graf’s aspirations

In the men’s draw 14th seed Goran Ivanisevic turned back the clock with a vintage performance he described as `brilliant tennis’ to beat Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev in a match held over from last night.

Zvereva’s joy was unmistakable as Graf hit her final shot into the net. Before today, the 22nd-ranked Zvereva had won just three sets against the former world number one in a rivalry that has lasted a decade.

The victory was sweet revenge for Zvereva 10 years after the German had inflicted her most humiliating defeat on her.

As a 17-year-old in 1988, Zvereva reached the final of the French Open only to be crushed by Graf 6-0 6-0 in one of the most one-sided Grand Slam finals in history.

But it was a different storyat the All England Club on the Championships’ fifth day when Zvereva, better known for her doubles prowess, out-manouevred and out-thought her 29-year-old opponent.

Zvereva won the toss and elected to receive serve. Her choice was vindicated when she broke straight away.

The 20-times Grand Slam doubles winner used all her experience of net-play to hold serve throughout and close the opening set 6-4.

Graf, ravaged by injury for the past year, lacked sharpness and, vitally, the killer instinct, allowing Zvereva off the hook in the second set by blowing break points.

“I didn’t play my best out there. I started the game off very nervously, didn’t move well round the court, didn’t return very well and couldn’t construct the points,” Graf said.

The Belarussian finally buried the 10-year jinx after one hour 19 minutes.Rain again played havoc with the day’s programme.

Start of play was delayed by nearly four hours as showers fell throughout the morning and afternoon.

Ivanisevic followed Graf on toCentre Court two sets to one up over Medvedev and needed just 18 minutes to close out the match.

The Croat lost his cool in the third set last evening, allowing line calls to get to him, but today he was the model of professionalism.

The gangly left-hander, twice a finalist here, wrapped matters up 6-3 7-6 4-6 6-0.

Women’s second seed Lindsay Davenport overcame a sticky middle patch to blow away Venezuelan Maria Alejandra Vento 6-3 1-6 6-2 while French 14th seed Sandrine Testud beat American Lori McNeil, the oldest woman in the draw at 34, 6-3 7-6.

Ninth-seeded Dutchman Richard Krajicek cruised into the third round with a straight-set win over Romania’s Dinu Pescariu.

Michael Chang, unseeded this year, lost in five sets to Sweden’s Magnus Gustafsson.

HOW THE SEEDS FARED

Seedings in prefix

Men’s singles (2nd round): 6-Pat Rafter (Aus bt Magnus Gustafsson (Swe) 6-3 6-7 (7-9) 6-2 6-1, 9-Richard Krajicek (Neth) bt Dinu Pescariu (Rom) 6-1 6-3 6-2, 11-Jonas Bjorkman (Swe) bt StefanoPescosolido (Ita) 4-6 6-4 6-4 6-2, 14-Goran Ivanisevic (Cro) bt Andrei Medvedev (Ukr) 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 4-6 6-0

Women’s singles (2nd round): 7-Venus Williams (US) bt Barbara Schett (Aut) 6-1 6-2, 8-Conchita Martinez (Spa) bt Kristie Boogert (Neth) 7-5 7-5, Cara Black (Zimb) bt 13-Patty Schnyder (Switz) 6-7 (3-7) 7-5 6-3

3rd round: 2-Lindsay Davenport (US) bt Maria Alejandra Vento (Vez) 6-3 1-6 6-2, Natasha Zvereva (Bel) bt 4-Steffi Graf (Ger) 6-4 7-5, 14-Sandrine Testud (Fra) bt Lori McNeil (US) 6-3 7-6 (9-7)

Other Results

Men’s singles (2nd round): Daniel Vacek (Cze) bt Marc-Kevin Goellner (Ger) 6-4 7-5 6-3, Chris Wilkinson (GB) bt Marc Rosset (Switz) 6-4 6-4 7-6 (7-3), Todd Martin (US) bt Mark Draper (Aust) 6-3 7-5 6-2, Vladimir Voltchkov (Bela) bt Michael Tebbutt (Aust) 6-4 6-3 7-6 (7-4), Thomas Johansson (Swe) bt Vincent Spadea (US) 7-5 6-1 6-3, Magnus Larsson (Swe) bt Sargis Sargsian (Arm) 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 7-5, Davide Sanguinetti (Ita) bt Franco Squillari (Arg) 6-1 6-3 6-2, John van Lottum(Neth) bt Sebastien Lareau (Can) 6-2 5-7 6-4 6-3, Magnus Gustafsson (Swe) bt Michael Chang (US) 6-2 5-7 6-2 1-6 6-2, Jan Siemerink (Neth) bt David Prinosil (Ger) 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-4 6-2, Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Hendrik Dreekmann (Ger) 6-4 6-3 1-6 6-4, Wayne Ferreira (SA) bt Albert Costa (Spa) 3-6 7-5 6-3 6-3, Todd Woodbridge (Aust) bt Wayne Black (Zimb) 6-1 3-6 6-3 6-2,

Women’s singles (2nd round): Surina de Beer (SA) bt Shi-Ting Wang (Tai) 6-2 4-6 6-3, Serena Williams (US) bt Mirjana Lucic (Cro) 6-3 6-0, Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) bt Flora Perfetti (Ita) 6-4 6-0

3rd round: Miriam Oremans (Net) bt Mariaan de Swardt (SA) 6-4 7-5