Potito is out at the Heineken Open (Auckland)

The Argentinian Chela won with Potito 16 67 (57). Olivier Rochus reached the SemiFinals by defeating the top seed Guillermo Coria 64 64.

Qualified to the Quarter Finals at Auckland

2005 starts well for Potito Starace. The Campanian qualified for the Quarter Finals at the ATP tour in Auckland by winning 64 62 with the Dutch qualifier Raemon Sluiter. Sluiter defeated yesterday the second seed Tommy Robredo. Quarter Finals will tell us whether Potito's improvements are significant. In fact, Potito has to compete with the sixth seed, the Argentinian Juan Ignacio Chela. A victory with could automatically determine the best ATP ranking ever for Potito.

Auckland

Starace won the first round of the Heineken open ($462,000). He have defeated the wild card Mark Nielsen 64 64. It is a lucky week for Potito, since he got admittance to the main drwa, after few players decided to give up.

The first game of the year

Potito was not lucky, he lost at the first round in the Adelaide tournament ($411,000, hardcourts) 36 46 with the French player, Mr. Julien Benneteau. By the way, the guys at Totalbet offered a 11/8 bet, compared to 8/15 for Julien.

Potito at the Davis Cup

Potito is helping Italy to play at the Davis Cup.
Yesterday, during the third round of the Group II of the Euro-African zone, he played with Kopof of Poland and he won 64 63 64. In my opinion, he was not the "usual" Potito, but the difference with the Polish tennis player was huge and Potito "got the break" at the beginning of each set.
Italy is 2-0 at this stage and it is very likely that on Sunday, Italy can finally come back in the second division of the Davis Cup.

Potito at the Bucharest open

The French player Richard Gasquet (Q) eliminated Potito Starace 63 64 at the first round of the Bucharest Open. Gasquet was coming from the qualification rounds.
Potito was tired and he did not play "his" tennis this week. Next week Potito will play the Davis Cup in Livorno (clay).
Filippo Volandri lost in the Semifinal today 67 26 with the Argentinian Acasuso

Bolelli at the Brasov Challenger

Simone Bolelli, 18 years old, lost with Victor Ionita (6-1 7-6) at the Brasov Challenger (25k€, Clay). Mr. Bolelli started with a WC, since he is 399 of the ATP Indesit race.

Simone played a wonderful tennis in Brasov, by beating Rumenians Mergea (4-6 7-6 6-2), Sabau (4-6 6-4 7-5) and Spanish Ramirez Hidalgo (2-6 7-6 6-4), Ventura (7-6 6-2), which are n. 137 and 132 of the ATP ranking.