Tennis: Sorry end to epic as Croatian departs

By TERRY MADDAFORD


Big-serving Goran Ivanisevic was a two-time loser at the Auckland international tennis tournament yesterday.

On the court he bowed out in the first round of the Heineken Open - beaten in three sets by defending champion and sixth seed Sjeng Schalken. Off it he upset Auckland's Croatian community by refusing to meet them after the centrecourt match.

He also copped a $2000 fine from the ATP organisation for failing to attend the post-match press conference.

It was a sorry end to what had been an absorbing on-court battle.

Schalken needed just 22 minutes to win the first set 6-1, breaking Ivanisevic in the third, fifth and seventh games.

The second set was closer as Ivanisevic warmed to the task. He broke Schalken in the fifth but gave that back in the next. A second break gave Ivanisevic a 5-4 lead. In a real struggle he won the next game and the set.

The third set began sedately. Schalken held serve to love, Ivanisevic levelled at 1-1, Schalken, with some trouble, held for 2-1 before Ivanisevic unleashed the big serve.

Four thundering aces - all first serves swung wide away from Schalken's despairing racket - and 2-2. Schalken replied by holding to love. Back came Ivanisevic with three aces - two ripped down the centre line another wide - for 3-3. Schalken's reply another game to love.

But the effort was taking its toll. Ivanisevic dropped his serve in the eighth, broke back in the next but dropped it again in the next to bow out after 1h 30m 1-6, 6-4, 4-6.

Ivanisevic's 11 aces in the end counted for little after serving up 10 double faults.

"It was an ugly dogfight out there," said Schalken. "It is unbelievable how he can serve. I had to work hard for my games. Really, I'm not into the tournament yet but I got out of it. Against a leftie serving like he does, I can only block."

But in a last word, Schalken said: "I like him. He is such a normal guy."

Others, who had queued to see their hero, might disagree.

But there was plenty of excitement in the night singles as top seed Tommy Haas had to fight all the way to 7-5 in the third set to see off crowd favourite Jeff Tarango.

In a game of some great shots and only a couple of service breaks, Haas eventually got home 7-5 4-6 7-5 after a two-hour epic. Both players will be back today with Tarango due to play an afternoon doubles.

It was a day on which the form book did not take a hiding. Schalken and Haas have been joined in the last 16 by all but one of the eight seeds and three of the four qualifiers.

Qualifier Juan Balcells won 7-5, 7-5 over the fancied Alberto Berasategui; second seed Magnus Norman wore down "lucky loser" Francisco Costa - who got a late start following the withdrawal of Rainer Schuttler - to win 7-5 in the second set; and third seed and 1996 winner Jiri Novak beat wildcard and 1997 champion Jonas Bjorkman in straight sets.

"I have beaten him [Bjorkman] the five times we have played," said Novak, who is playing here for the fourth time. "He is a tough player but I feel he is losing some confidence. I felt more confidence as I went on."