By TERRY MADDAFORD
Fred Hemmes made a mockery of the rankings in the qualifying tournament for the Heineken Open as the last four players yesterday won through to the main draw.
All matches went to three sets.
The Dutchman, the last player into the Open (as an alternate into qualifying) needed nearly 2 1/2 hours to beat the highest-ranked player in the qualifying tournament, Romanian Andrei Pavel.
Pavel, 18 months ago ranked 17 in the world, dropped his serve in the 10th and 12th games and the first set. He won the second in a tiebreaker, but Hemmes went on to win in three - the third time in as many days he had been taken the distance.
Hemmes now meets unseeded Swede Robin Soderling.
The highest-ranked player to win through, Croatian Mario Ancic (the second seed behind Pavel) had a see-saw battle with France's Sebastien De Chaunac before claiming his place in the main draw and a centre court clash this afternoon with New Zealand wildcard Simon Rea.
Luxembourg's Gillies Muller, who eliminated New Zealanders G. D. Jones and Adam Thompson in straight sets in the first two rounds, needed three to get by Frenchman Florent Serra.
The remaining spot in the main draw was won by German Phillip Kohlschreiber, who came from a set down to win the second in a tiebreaker and the third 6-4 to eliminate South African Wesley Moodie.
Related links
Tennis: Rankings shown up
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