Vinciguerra on course

Vinciguerra: Utilised powerful serve and forehand

Defending champion Andreas Vinciguerra reached the quarter-finals of the Copenhagen Open with a 6-4 7-6 win over American Paul Goldstein.

The 19-year-old Swede's powerful first serve and hard-to-read forehand were the most eye-catching aspects of his game.

A forehand cross-court pass, which punished a moderate Goldstein volley in the fifth game, did most to get Vinciguerra on top.

That one point, at break point, effectively decided the outcome of the first set.

Vinciguerra grew in confidence and quickly gained an early break in the second set.

But Goldstein scurried around, covering a lot of ground at the back.

Goldstein: Unforced errors

Although he did not take any of the three break points he had at 3-2 in the second set, he made the most of the first chance which came his way in Vinciguerra's next service game.

The break point came courtesy of a rare double fault and was converted by a spectacular, full-stretch running forehand pass from Goldstein.

Vinciguerra worked three break points for himself in the next game without being able to take them, but then got lucky in an edgy tie-break.

From 2-2, Goldstein made three unforced errors in the next five rallies, volleying wide and then twice driving long. Vinciguerra finished it with one of his trademark, forehand drives.

Tenacious

"It was tough but I knew it would be. It is a slow court and he is a good player and there is a lot of pressure on me because I am the defending champion," Vinciguerra said.

Australian Andrew Ilie lost 6-4 6-3 in the second round to the tenacious base-lining of the American Cecil Mamiit.

There was controversy as Ilie was making a spirited attempt to break back at 2-4 in the second set, forcing Mamiit's service game to a succession of deuces.

Ilie: Argued to no avail over a dubious call

On one of them the Bucharest-born Australian struck a drive which appeared to touch the line but was called out.

The crowd whistled its displeasure in support of Ilie as remonstrated, but it was to no avail. When Mamiit immediately hit a service winner to reach 5-2 it signalled the end of the contest.

Jonas Bjorkman went down 6-4 6-4 in the first round to 21-year-old Czech Michal Tabara, and Jiri Novak lost 6-4 6-3 to Dane Christain Pless.

Bjorkman always looked vulnerable after dropping his serve in the first game of the match with a double fault.

Novak was nonplussed by the noisy home support for Pless and sank to the improving 20-year-old who entered the tournament with a wild card.

Pless said: "I took my chances when I got them and I was a little more patient than I sometimes am."