Davenport falls to Sugiyama in Arizona

By Chris Davies
March 2 2003

Japan's Ai Sugiyama knocked off Davenport, 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3, while Laura Granville rallied past Rubin, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 at the Scottsdale Classic in Arizona

Rain has wreaked havoc with the schedule, as all eight second-round matches were scheduled for Thursday and play was delayed again for six hours because of wet weather.

Davenport who won this event in 2001 and was a joint winner with Martina Hingis in 2000 after the final was washed out became a surprising loser to the petit Japanese star Ai Sugiyama.

Eighth-seeded Nathalie Dechy won a battle of Frenchwomen when Virginie Razzano retired because of an upper respiratory infection. Dechy had already won the opening set, 6-4, when Razzano called it quits.

Meanwhile Kim Clijsters now has to play two matches on friday after her second round clash against Cara Black was abandonned after 6 games with Clijsters leading 4-2. The winner will play Laura Granville in the Quarter-Finals late on Friday.

Granville (USA)
5 Rubin (USA)
4-6, 6-2, 6-1


Stevenson (USA)
LL Foretz (FRA)
6-3, 6-0

Sugiyama (JPN)
3 Davenport (USA)
7-6, 4-6, 6-3


8 Dechy (FRA)
Q Razzano (FRA)
6-4, Ret

Schiavone (ITA)
Farina Elia (ITA)
1-6, 7-5, 6-3

Shaughnessy (USA)
4 Dokic (YUG)
6-4, 6-2