Kafelnikov and Krajicek Get 1-2 Punched Out at New Haven
Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the top-seeded player and French Open champion, and Richard Krajicek, seeded second and the Wimbledon winner, were shockingly beaten in straight sets in the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen International on Friday at New Haven, Conn.
Wild card Alex O’Brien ousted Kafelnikov, of Russia, 6-4, 6-4, and 10th-seeded Jan Siemerink upset fellow Dutchman Krajicek, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Their departures came a day after third-seeded Jim Courier lost.
No. 4 Wayne Ferreira was the highest seeded player left, after outlasting No. 12 Daniel Vacek, 6-2, 6-7 (8-6), 6-3. Ferreira will face Siemerink in the semifinals.
O’Brien, who had won only three matches this year coming into the tennis tournament, has now won four this week and advanced to a semifinal for the first time since 1994.
“I didn’t falter,” O’Brien said. “I hope I can keep my game on an even keel and keep this thing going.”
O’Brien will next face No. 14 Mark Philippoussis, who used his big serve to eliminate sixth-seeded Marc Rosset, 6-2, 6-3.
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