Ivanisevic Win Is Tough to Stomach

Goran Ivanisevic, ranked No. 3 in the world, was pretty sure what he was feeling during his doubles match Tuesday night wasn’t butterflies in his stomach.

There was no fluttering of wings, only severe cramping. Finally, Ivanisevic, seeded No. 1 at the Infiniti Open, was forced to default from the match and seek medical attention.

It was not melodrama on Ivanisevic’s part, although that wouldn’t have been out of character. “It’s nothing,” said Patrick Rafter, who had seen Ivanisevic in the locker room. “He’s just bloated.”

In fact, Ivanisevic’s stomach was dramatically distended, and he was in so much distress that U.S. Davis Cup physician Dr. George Fareed took a blood test for appendicitis.

“It was like a balloon, was so big,” Ivanisevic said.

Two days of medication and the gastroenteritis was evicted.

Feeling fit if not yet chipper Thursday, Ivanisevic defeated Olivier Delaitre, 7-5, 7-6 (7-2), in a second-round match at the L.A. Tennis Center at UCLA.

It was his second match after taking three weeks off, the longest vacation the Croatian has allowed himself in eight or nine years. Ivanisevic hoped two weeks aboard a yacht would help erase the memory of losing in the first round at the French Open and in the second round at Wimbledon.

Ivanisevic, considered a favorite to win at Wimbledon, was one of the players whose schedule was interrupted by rain. He played his second-round match five days after his opening match.

Thursday’s play was not vintage Ivanisevic, despite his 12 aces.

“It was OK, nothing special,” he said. “Wasn’t great. When I was in trouble, I came up with a big serve. I’m not playing well. I’m putting three or four balls in the court. That’s not enough. Then I go for winners. Sometimes I hit it in, sometimes I hit the Infiniti sign [at the back of the court].”

The 25-year-old remains as unpredictable as ever. He arrived in L.A. sporting another in a series of new haircuts, this one a military buzz. He used to gather his long hair at the crown of his head and wear it like a samurai’s topknot.

Asked why he chose the new style, Ivanisevic shrugged. “I just felt I had to cut my hair,” he said.

Before getting derailed at the French Open and Wimbledon, Ivanisevic was the hottest-starting player on the ATP Tour this year. Now that the tour moves to the hard courts, his heavy serve will be amplified.

His serve was not fully reliable against France’s Delaitre; Ivanisevic had nine double faults. But he was able to call upon it when he most needed it.

Delaitre had two break points in the eighth game of the second set, and each time Ivanisevic served his way out of trouble. That was also the case in the tiebreaker. Ivanisevic had one serve of 128 mph and one of 127.

Ivanisevic will play Byron Black in today’s quarterfinals. He has beaten Black all five times they’ve met. Still, when asked what he expected from the match, Ivanisevic answered, “Tomorrow I expect nice weather.”

Tennis Notes

Zimbabwe’s Byron Black ended Justin Gimelstob’s run here. Gimelstob defeated Andre Agassi on Tuesday night but lost to Black, 6-2, 7-6 (7-1), on Thursday. . . . Sixth-seeded Jim Courier defeated India’s Mahesh Bhupathi, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3. . . . In the late match, fourth-seeded Richard Krajicek saved four match points to defeat qualifier Glenn Weiner, 7-5, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5).

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Today’s Quarterfinal Matches

STADIUM COURT

* Noon--Kenneth Carlsen vs. Thomas Enqvist (2); followed by Guillaume Raoux vs. Mark Philippoussis (3); followed by Goran Ivanisevic (1) vs. Byron Black.

* 7:30--Jim Courier (6) vs. Richard Krajicek (4).