Net, Philippoussis fall in second round

WIMBLEDON, England -- Three tight sets, big-serving Mark Philippoussis and a broken net failed to faze Marat Safin.

The big Russian waited out a five-minute delay while the Centre Court net was replaced in the second set, and he then finished off Philippoussis 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4 Wednesday to reach the third round at Wimbledon for only the second time.

The net collapsed between points in the second set, prompting laughter from the crowd.

"I've been here a long time, since 1977, and I watched on TV as a kid," three-time champion John McEnroe said. "And I've never seen that happen."

Joining Safin in the third round was two-time defending champion Roger Federer, who beat Ivo Minar 6-4, 6-4, 6-1. The top-ranked Federer held every service game and extended his grass-court winning streak to 31 matches, including 16 at the All England Club.

No. 3 Lleyton Hewitt hit 15 aces, giving him 34 in two matches, and beat Jan Hernych 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3

On the women's side, top-ranked Lindsay Davenport beat fellow American Jamea Jackson 6-0, 6-3. Kim Clijsters lost just three service points, two on double-faults, and drubbed Marissa Irvin 6-1, 6-1. No. 3-seeded Amelie Mauresmo, U.S. Open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, No. 6 Elena Dementieva and No. 9 Anastasia Myskina also won.

The No. 5-seeded Safin has long professed disdain for lawn tennis, but he's playing the way he did in January when he won the Australian Open and said his attitude about grass has changed.

"I'm comfortable playing on it, and I'm confident," he said. "It's really important to have fun on grass, because it's a tough surface. You have to play a game that's not really comfortable. If you're not having fun, it's impossible to do anything good here. You can't have any patience if you're suffering."

Safin overcame three set points serving at 4-5, love-40 in the opening set. He reached break point only once but converted for a 4-3 lead in the final set, then served out the victory.

"That guy is going to be tough on any surface, whether he likes playing on it or not," Philippoussis said.

Philippoussis, the 2003 runner-up, lost despite hitting 46 unreturned serves, including 21 aces. Safin hit 43 unreturned serves and 20 aces.

Philippoussis, who has been plagued by injuries and needed a wild card to enter the tournament, required treatment from a trainer for a right ankle injury after the first set and appeared gimpy at times the rest of the way.

Rather than blaming the injury for his defeat, Philippoussis cited his failure to convert any of his five break-point chances and his inability to maintain a lead in each tiebreaker.

"I had the opportunities but didn't take them," Philippoussis said.

No. 8 Nikolay Davydenko was leading 7-6 (4), 2-1, when he retired because of a wrist injury against Jonas Bjorkman.

Americans Justin Gimelstob and Taylor Dent reached the third round to match their best showings at Wimbledon. Gimelstob, who defaulted in qualifying because of a sore back and made the draw only because another player withdrew, beat No. 29 Nicolas Massu 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).

"It's a struggle," said the 28-year-old Gimelstob, who is ranked 123rd. "Now hopefully with this, maybe I'll get back in the top 100. It'll be probably my third time coming back from oblivion into the top 100."

Gimelstob will next play Hewitt.

Dent, seeded 24th, defeated fellow American Kevin Kim 6-3, 6-4, 6-4. Dent next plays unseeded Tomas Berdych and could benefit from a favorable draw.

"Don't jinx me. Don't jinx me," Dent said with a smile. "The problem is that all these guys are so good. There's no good draw in the men's game."

In a first-round match suspended in the fifth set Tuesday because of darkness, No. 9 Sebastien Grosjean beat Michael Llodra 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Mauresmo eliminated Maria Sanchez Lorenzo 6-1, 6-3. Kuznetsova, seeded fifth, beat Sania Mirza 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4. Dementieva double-faulted 17 times and still beat qualifier Sabine Klaschka 2-6, 6-3, 8-6. Myskina, the 2004 French Open champion, defeated Aiko Nakamura 6-4, 6-3 despite failing to convert 12 set points in the opening set.

No. 13 Elena Likhovtseva eliminated American Meghann Shaughnessy 6-3, 7-6 (4). No. 17 Jelena Jankovic swept Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-3, 7-5.

On the tournament's third consecutive warm, sunny day, Clijsters barely broke a sweat and advanced in 44 minutes. A four-time Grand Slam runner-up seeking her first major title, the Belgian has lost seven games in two matches.

"I'm very happy with this win, especially with the way I played," Clijsters said. "On a scale of 10, I would give myself an eight."

Seeded 15th but considered among the tournament favorites, Clijsters missed much of last year with a wrist injury and returned to the top 15 after winning the Eastbourne grass-court title last week. It was her 24th career title and her third this year.

Against Irvin, Clijsters was at her overpowering best on the final point of the first set. Moving steadily forward, she hit a swinging volley, a forehand volley and then an overhead slam for a winner.

When a poor choice of shots cost Clijsters a point in the second set, she bounced her racket strings off her head in dismay. But she had little to be upset about, committing just seven unforced errors, and won every service game at love in the second set.

"I felt like I was seeing the ball really well," Clijsters said. "It has been a long time since I felt like this, and it's a very good feeling to have. I'll try not to get all happy about it, work hard and try to maintain that feeling."

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WIMBLEDON SEEDS

Men

First Round

Sebastien Grosjean (9), France, def. Michael Llodra, France, 3-6, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Second Round

Roger Federer (1), Switzerland, def. Ivo Minar, Czech Republic, 6-4, 6-4, 6-1.

Lleyton Hewitt (3), Australia, def. Jan Hernych, Czech Republic, 6-2, 7-5, 3-6, 6-3.

Marat Safin (5), Russia, def. Mark Philippoussis, Australia, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4), 6-4.

Jonas Bjorkman, Sweden, def. Nikolay Davydenko (8), Russia, 6-7 (4), 1-2, retired.

Mario Ancic (10), Croatia, def. Danai Udomchoke, Thailand, 7-6 (6), 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Joachim Johansson (11), Sweden, def. Greg Rusedski, Britain, 7-6 (10), 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5).

Fernando Gonzalez (21), Chile, def. Tomas Zib, Czech Republic, 6-4, 7-6 (6), 6-3.

Gael Monfils, France, def. Dominik Hrbaty (22), Slovakia, 6-3, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5.

Juan Carlos Ferrero (23), Spain, def. Lee Hyung-taik, South Korea, 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

Taylor Dent (24), United States, def. Kevin Kim, United States, 6-3, 6-4, 6-4.

Nicolas Kiefer (25), Germany, def. Alessio Di Mauro, Italy, 6-3, 7-5, 6-3.

Feliciano Lopez (26), Spain, def. David Sherwood, Britain, 6-2, 6-4, 6-2.

Justin Gimelstob, United States, def. Nicolas Massu (29), Chile, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (0).

Mikhail Youzhny (31), Russia, def. Jean-Rene Lisnard, France, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4.

Women

Second Round

Lindsay Davenport (1), United States, def. Jamea Jackson, United States, 6-0, 6-3.

Amelie Mauresmo (3), France, def. Maria Sanchez Lorenzo, Spain, 6-1, 6-3.

Svetlana Kuznetsova (5), Russia, def. Sania Mirza, India, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-4.

Elena Dementieva (6), Russia, def. Sabine Klaschka, Germany, 2-6, 6-3, 8-6.

Anastasia Myskina (9), Russia, def. Aiko Nakamura, Japan, 6-4, 6-3.

Elena Likhovtseva (13), Russia, def. Meghann Shaughnessy, United States, 6-3, 7-6 (4).

Kim Clijsters (15), Belgium, def. Marissa Irvin, United States, 6-1, 6-1.

Jelena Jankovic (17), Serbia-Montenegro, def. Mariana Diaz-Oliva, Argentina, 6-3, 7-5.

Silvia Farina Elia (22), Italy, def. Maria Vento-Kabchi, Venezuela, 6-1, 5-7, 6-3.

Nicole Vaidisova (27), Czech Republic, def. Michaela Pastikova, Czech Republic, 7-5, 6-3.

Dinara Safina (30), Russia, def. Barbora Strycova, Czech Republic, 6-2, 6-2.