Thai unknown makes his mark

Levy lost to a player ranked 314th in the world

Click here for Wednesday's results

Thai qualifier Danai Udomchoke defeated 10th seed Harel Levy to pull off the shock result of the second round in the Japan Open.

Playing in his first ATP tour event, Danai followed his first-round victory over Barry Cowan with a straight sets win over Levy, who is ranked 75th in the world.

Trailing 4-5 in the first set, Danai won the next nine games to register a remarkable 7-5 6-0 victory.

"I did not make any mistakes, well just a few," said Danai, who is ranked 314th in the world.

"He played very good, but I have no pressure and nothing to lose. That's why I played good.

"He hit very hard top spin shots so I just tried to make him move. That was the key to victory."

Top seed Lleyton Hewitt did not experience any problems against Germany's Marc-Kevin Goellner, winning 6-2 6-2.

While reigning champion Sjeng Schalken, seeded second, cruised past Christian Vinck 6-2 7-5.

Thrashed

Fourth seed Jonas Bjorkman and seventh seed Marcelo Rios also completed straight-set wins.

Bjorkman thrashed Japan's Hiroki Kondo 6-1 6-3 while Chilean Rios defeated Zimbabwe's Byron Black 6-2 7-5.

American Michael Russell, seeded 15, beat compatriot Cecil Mamiit in three sets and Germany's Lars Burgsmuller, seeded nine, was also taken to a third set by South Korea's Lee Hyung-Taik.

But 14th seed Wayne Arthurs lost to James Blake 7-6 (7-4) 7-5.

Women's top seed Monica Seles cruised past South Korea's Cho Yoon-Jeong 6-2 6-3 in her first match following an enforced break in the wake of the terrorist attacks in the USA.

Seles was one of numerous competitors who withdrew from the Princess Cup, due to take place in Japan two weeks ago, after the attacks in America.

But the former world number one has fears about travelling.

"I think you have to go on with your life and being a tennis player and travelling is part of it," said Seles.

Seles, who had a first-round bye, will play sixth seed Rita Grande in the quarter-final.

"I have to improve my mental concentration a little better for the next match," said Seles, after a lapse in the second set almost let her opponent back in the match.

---

Selected results from Wednesday's action at the Japan Open:

Mens - second round:

Nicolas Massu [11] (Chile) bt Tomas Zib (Czech Republic) 6-3 7-6 (7-4)
Lleyton Hewitt [1] (Australia) bt Marc-Kevin Goellner (Germany) 6-2 6-2
Sjeng Schalken [2] (Netherlands) bt Christian Vinck (Germany) 6-3 6-4
Jonas Bjorkman [4] (Sweden) bt Hiroki Kondo (Japan) 6-1 6-3
Danai Udomchoke (Thailand) bt Harel Levy [10] (Israel) 7-5 6-0
Marcelo Rios [7] (Chile) bt Byron Black (Zimbabwe) 6-2 7-5
Lars Burgsmuller [9] (Germany) bt Lee Hyung-Taik (South Korea) 3-6 6-3 7-5
Michael Russell [15] (USA) bt Cecil Mamiit (USA) 3-6 6-4 6-3
James Blake (USA) bt Wayne Arthurs [14] (Australia) 7-6 (7-4) 7-5

Womens - first round:

Mariene Weingartner [5] (Germany) bt Evie Dominikovic (Australia) 3-6 7-5 6-3
Joannette Kruger [8] (South Africa) bt Janet Lee (Taiwan) 7-5 7-5

Womens - second round:

Monica Seles [1] (USA) bt Cho Yoon-Jeong (South Korea) 6-2 6-3
Pavlina Nola (New Zealand) beat Nathalie Dechy [7] (France) 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-5)
Rita Grande [6] (Italy) beat Barbara Schwartz (Austria) 6-4 6-4

Back to top