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Entry system ranking: 143 (282 points (-1)) Champions Race: 126 (7 points)(-3) Current tournament: Place: Monte Carlo, Monaco Next tournament:
Place: Munich, Germany
Date: April 29 - May 5, 2002 Draw Size: 32 Surface: Clay Prize Money: US $381,000 Stadium Court Seating: 3,800 Tournament Director: Rudi Berger Website: www.iphitos.de
Thanks Ivanna for the photo! (Norman in Bueno Aires)
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Magnificent Magnus Swedish fourth seed on course for Hewitt showdownMELBOURNE (Reuters) -- Fourth seed Magnus Norman coasted into the third round of the Australian Open on Thursday with a 7-6, 6-3, 6-0 victory over Fabrice Santoro to stay on course for another showdwown with Lleyton Hewitt. The Swede, a semifinalist last year, survived a set point to take the first set 8-6 in the tiebreak and then easily won the next two. "I feel like I'm hitting the ball as good as I've ever done," said Norman, who is scheduled to meet Australian teenager Hewitt in the quarterfinals. "It's always like I'm sneaking in from behind. No one really takes notice of me. I like it that way," he said. Frenchman Santoro, ranked 47 in the world, matched the Swede in the first set but was never in it once he failed to capitalize on his only set point. That was fine by Norman, who came into this year's Open having spent most of the off-season sick. "I think the preparation last year was a little better than this year," he said. Last year he came to Melbourne with a title under his belt from Auckland, one of the year's early tournaments, while this year he was beaten in the first round in Chennai then lost to Hewitt in the final of the Sydney international last week. He next plays Alex Calatrava in the third round after the Spaniard beat Guillermo Coria of Argentina 6-4, 6-3, 3-6, 6-2. Norman expects Calatrava to be a tough opponent and is not looking ahead yet to a quarterfinal against Hewitt. The Australian beat Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman in a tough five set battle in the first round and Germany's Tommy Haas in straight sets Thursday. Unlike Bjorkman, who said Hewitt needed to tone down his yelling on court, Norman had no complaints about Hewitt's fist pumping cries. "He's mentally very tough. He's one of the toughest guys on the tour. It's his way to get pumped," Norman said. "As long as he's fair to the opponent
that's fine." Source: CNN Sports |
