INDIAN WELLS, Calif., March 10 (UPI) -- Russian Marat Safin stepped out of a pair of holes Monday to advance to the second round of the Pacific Life Open.
The seventh-seeded Safin recovered from a 1-4 third-set deficit and a hole in his sneaker to beat Austrian Stefan Koubek, 3-6, 6-3, 7-5, at the $4.55 million Tennis Masters Series event.
Safin called the trainer in the fifth game of the final set when he suffered a cut to his left foot. He had slid on the hard courts, ripping open his sneaker and cutting his foot.
"Easier to call the trainer than a shoemaker," said Safin, who also received a verbal warning from the chair umpire.
Yet the 23-year-old Russian was confident he would be able to defeat Koubek for the second time in three meetings.
Safin has had trouble closing out matches himself in his last two tournaments, suffering three-set second-round defeats at Rotterdam and Dubai last month. He also has dealt with a pair of injuries and owns a 5-4 match record this season.
Women's second seed Jennifer Capriati of the United States also was stretched to three sets, advancing to the quarterfinals with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-1 victory over No. 14 Elena Dementieva of Russia.
Capriati next faces Russian teenager Vera Zvonareva, who ousted No. 23 Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2.
Fifth seed Amelie Mauresmo of France reached the next round with ease, 6-2, 6-3, over Spain's Magui Serna. Her quarterfinal foe will be either fourth seed and two-time champion Lindsay Davenport of the United States or No. 13 Elena Bovina of Russia, who squared off Monday night.
