It's quarterfinal day at the 2002 Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic. The collected groans of many could be
heard across the Valley of the Sun as Pete Sampras fell to Wayne Ferreira in straight sets last night. Thus
Sampras fails to reach the Scottsdale quarters for the fifth time (you thought he had problems at Roland
Garros!) and the dream of an Agassi-Sampras semifinal was rudely awakened. With eight men left
standing, Andre Agassi vaults to an even heavier favorite to capture his fourth Scottsdale title, Xavier
Malisse joins Agassi as the only seed left in the draw, and Carlos Moya emerges as the premier player in
the bottom half of the draw.
Noam Okun vs. Juan Balcells (Quarters)
First Meeting
Yesterday we joked that this quarterfinal would not have the biggest drawing power. These two players
were the lowest ranked players to gain direct entry into the main draw. Balcells is one of the seemingly
dozens of Spanish players to finish last year ranked within the Top 100. In 2001, Balcells reached two
semifinals (Auckland and Mallorca) and two quarterfinals (San Jose and Bucharest) to finish the year
ranked #95. His opponent today is the relatively unknown Noam Okun. Okun, the #2 Israeli behind Harel
Levy, notched his biggest career victory when he took out Albert Portas in the second round. Okun has
bounced around the rankings since 1995, but earned a career high year-end ranking of #114 mostly based
upon a 33-11 record on the Challenger circuit. This is Okun's first quarterfinal appearance on the ATP
Tour.
The two tall players entered the court for the first day match of the day. Despite their height there was little
else similar about their appearances. Okun was a clean-cut with a crisp and almost-preppy look, while
Balcells was scruffy with long sideburns that would make Elvis proud. The server totally dominated at the
start of the match. In the first eight service games, Okun and Balcells only dropped three points each their
service games and 4-4 was reached in a speedy 20 minutes (including changeovers). Okun was the first to
have problems with his service game and was not helped as sudden gusts of winds blew through stadium
court. Okun double-faulted twice in the ninth game and gave Balcells the first break of the match at 5-4. I
had been impressed with Balcells willingness to come into net during the first set, but was unprepared for
what happened in his next service game. The Spaniard engaged in some pure serve-and-volley play as he
served for the set. For six straight points, and the first challenges on his serve, Balcells followed each and
every one of his serves (including second serves) into the net. He consolidated the break and took the first
at 6-4 with a crisp backhand volley.
The second set was much like the first as both players held onto their serves in easy fashion. In the first
eight service games of this set as once again both played combined only dropped a total of six points on
their serve. But nerves crept into the final games of the set. Balcells earned a break point on Okun's serve
in the ninth game but still creeping into the net at every opportunity Balcells netted a forehand volley.
Okun earned his first break of the day with a forehand service return winner to take the second set at 6-4.
Both players held to open the final set, but the near flawless serving that both exhibited in the first two sets
was not to be the case in the third. Balcells broke Okun's serve in the third and fifth games of the set to
race out to a 4-1 lead. Closing out the match would not be an easy task for Balcells. In a marathon game
where six deuce points were contested, Okun finally was able to get his passing shots down - unfortunately
he did not seem to be able to string two of these points together. However, Okun earned one of the breaks
back when he cracked a backhand crosscourt service return that Balcells was unable to get a racquet on.
Balcells was not discouraged, still up a break, he kept the pressure on Okun's service game and broke to
win the set and the match 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in 1 hour and 42 minutes.
Balcells advances to the semifinals where he awaits the winner of tonight's match between Carlos Moya
and Rainer Schuttler. Schuettler leads that series 3-1, with the last meeting at the 2002 Australian Open 2nd
round where Schuettler came back from a 0-2 set deficit
Andre Agassi (#1) vs. Juan Ignacio Chela (Quarters)
First Meeting
This match is a second look at Agassi and Chela at this year's Franklin Templeton. An in-form Agassi has
powered through the draw with wins over Francisco Clavet and Greg Rusedski, while Chela improved from
his first round struggle with qualifier Robby Ginepri with a straight set second round victory over the still-
slumping Alex Corretja.
It must be nice to be Andre Agassi. The Las Vegan received a rousing ovation as he walked onto the court
for his quarterfinal match. Agassi is certainly a crowd favorite and during the first set his shot making was
"oohed" and "aahed" and his errors were met by disappointed groans from the nice sized crowd. It seems
like this energy alone would be enough to give Agassi a free game and that was the case as Agassi easily
broke Chela in his first service game. In their first career meeting, Agassi seemed to be testing out Chela's
groundstrokes, pounding with consecutive shots to either the backhand or forehand to see what side would
break down first. Chela was game and despite the early break did not seem to be giving in to the Agassi
aura. A loose service game by Agassi in the eight game, earned Chela the break back and evened the
match at 4-4. Although Agassi was not playing as clean as he did in his first round match versus Clavet, he
broke Chela in the long eleventh game when the Argentine sent a backhand into the net. Agassi served out
the first set at 7-5 in 56 minutes.
With the day session matches quickly entering into early evening, I unfortunately could not stick around for
the completion of the second set and the remainder of the match. Agassi broke Chela's opening service
game but that was erased when Chela broke back in the fourth game for 2-2. It was clear that Chela was
sticking it to Agassi and I would have not been surprised if this was yet another upset at this year's
tournament. The second set was decided by a tiebreak won by Chela 7-5, but Agassi rolled in the third for
a 7-5, 6-7, 6-1 victory that took nearly three hours to complete.
Agassi moves onto the semifinals where he meets the winner of Wayne Ferreira and Xavier Malisse.
Ferreira won their only previous meeting at the 2000 Indianapolis tournament, 6-4, 6-2.