Estoril Open 2003 News and Events

Lopez and Sanchez Lorenzo both won on Tuesday
© ATP

Second seed Rainer Schuettler became the latest casualty at the 2003 Estoril Open, going down in three sets to rising Spanish star Feliciano Lopez.

Schuettler, who was hoping to close the gap on ATP Champions Race 2003 leader Andre Agassi this week, converted just one of his seven break points during the match before Lopez prevailed 6-1, 4-6, 7-5 to move into the second round.

"If my clay court game is as good as my golf game, then it's not very good," said Schuettler, referring to his outing to Quinta da Marinha Golf Course on Monday when he hit a reporter with a mis-hit golf ball. "I know I can play well on clay, but I have to take my chances. I practiced a little bit last week [on clay] but it obviously didn't do too much. There's never an easy draw, so I have to improve my game if I'm going to be successful on clay."

Lopez, the 21-year-old left-hander who followed his girlfriend Maria Sanchez Lorenzo onto court Central after the WTA Tour star reached the second round with a three-set victory over eighth seed Patricia Wartusch, took the first set in just 24 minutes after winning six consecutive games. The second set went with serve until the seventh game, when Schuettler converted his second break point of the match and leveled matters at one set apiece.

Break points

Schuettler, who reached the final of the Australian Open in January and the final last year in Munich on clay, had five break points in the final set but Lopez saved all of them before breaking Schuettler in the 12th game to take the match.

"I played a very good match today," said Lopez. "I started very well and after the first set, he played much better. He was chasing every ball and after he broke me he was playing very good tennis. In the third set, it was close until the end, and fortunately I broke him."

Also through to the second round is No. 8 seed Jarkko Nieminen, last year's finalist who came back from a set down to defeat Portuguese wild card Helder Lopes 4-6, 6-1, 6-1.

"It was pretty difficult," said Nieminen. "I didn't know what to expect. I was asking some of the players and they didn't him so well. He was playing better than I thought and he didn't miss too many balls in the first set."

Happy

Playing his first tournament of the year on clay, Nieminen was happy to get through after coming from Finland's Davis Cup tie last week on indoor hard courts.

"The balls were flying high and fast last week," said Nieminen. "But the more I played on the clay, the more I started to feel comfortable."

Nieminen, who has won 14 of his 16 matches in his professional matches in Portugal in all competitions, added: "I only have good memories of playing in Portugal. It's very nice to come here. Now that I'm through the first round, my game is getting much better."

In the next round, Nieminen will take on Argentina's Agustin Calleri. "It's going to be very tough," said Nieminen. "When he's playing his best tennis, he's very tough to beat. He has a great backhand and he hits hard."

Elsewhere on day two, Harel Levy overcame Milan champion Martin Verkerk 6-3, 6-4, while lucky loser Galo Blanco defeated qualifier Fernando Vasco in three sets.