Swift revenge for Mikaelian

Mikaelian struck back in style Keystone

Switzerland's Marie-Gaïané Mikaelian has achieved the rare feat of beating an opponent who she lost to just three days earlier - in the same tournament.

During the weekend qualifying rounds for the WTA event in Berlin, the Swiss teenager was knocked out of the competition by Germany’s Angelika Roesch (WTA 125).

However the subsequent withdrawal of Swiss star Martina Hingis from the main draw handed Mikaelian (WTA 65) a second chance.

As the highest ranked player to have fallen in the final round of the qualifying section, the 18-year-old from canton Vaud was given the “lucky loser” spot – taking Hingis’s place in the tournament proper.

Mikaelian’s good fortune then proved unlucky for Roesch when the two players once again came face to face in the tournament’s second round.

Having lost to Roesch in straight sets (4-6, 3-6) on Sunday, Mikaelian struck back in style on Wednesday winning the rematch 6-0, 6-1. The young Swiss needed just 13 minutes to wrap up the first set with the whole match taking less than three quarters of an hour.

As well as bringing Mikaelian revenge of an unusually swift nature, Thursday’s win marked the first time this season that the Swiss number four has clinched two wins in a row.

If she is to make it three victories in succession, Mikaelian must now overcome French eighth seed Sandrine Testud (WTA 11) in the third round.

Kratochvil outgunned

In men’s tennis Swiss number two Michel Kratochvil was comprehensively beaten by American world number nine Andre Agassi at the Masters Series tournament in Rome.

Following a lengthy rain delay in the Italian capital, Agassi wasted little time on court – dispatching Kratochvil 6-0, 6-1.

Wednesday’s walkover saw Agassi take revenge for his shock defeat at the hands of the Swiss at the Masters Series tournament in Indian Wells two months ago.

swissinfo with agencies