GORAN IVANISEVIC rallied impressively to defeat young Spaniard Roberto Carretero 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-4 yesterday and advance to the quarter finals of the $425,000 BMW Tennis Open.
The third seeded Croatian, who was beaten in his first clay court match a week ago in Monte Carlo, discovered the benefits that a week of practice on the surface can bring as he turned back the determined challenge of a rival who grew up playing on clay.
"I knew that he could play," said the world number six, a winner of four titles on hard courts this year.
"I just tried to play smart, to move him around as much as I could. I'm feeling better on the clay after this match."
Ivanisevic found himself caught out in the first set tie breaker as Carretero hit a flurry of passing shot winners, but started his comeback when he broke for 5-3 in the second set after the Spaniard floated a back hand long.
One game later, the Croatian levelled at one set all.
In the decider, the powerful left hander broke for 3-2, had three break points against Carretero in the seventh game and then clinched the victory on his first match point when the Spaniard set a service return long.
Ivanisevic's quarter final opponent tomorrow will be another Spaniard the winner of the meeting between Carlos Moya and Tomas Carbonell.
Rising Australian star Mark Philippoussis got a free ride past Petr Korda when the Czech was forced to withdraw from their second round match with influenza.
