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| Nicolas Kiefer was a finalist in Indianapolis last year© ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/Getty Images |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Second-seeded Nicolas Kiefer overcame humidity and heat to reach the quarterfinals of the RCA Championships with a 7-5, 6-4 victory Wednesday over Antony Dupuis.
"I like this weather,'' said German Kiefer. "I practiced in this weather last week. You have to get used to it.''
The temperature was near 90.
Kiefer, who lost to Andy Roddick in the finals last year, converted all four of his break points and took advantage of 31 unforced errors by the Frenchman.
"For sure, it's never easy,'' Kiefer said. "You have to adjust to how your opponent is playing. The biggest thing is to keep fighting.''
Ninth-seeded Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand stopped Gregory Carraz of France 6-3, 7-6 (3). Srichaphan, who finished second to Roddick in the 2003 RCA tournament, said this is his first step on the way to next month's US Open.
"I'm going to play all six hard-court tournaments going to the (US) Open,'' said Srichaphan, ranked 43rd by the ATP. "I'm still hungry to be in the top level. I plan to get back in shape, get ready for the Open.''
Unseeded George Bastl of Switzerland upset third-seeded Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-4, 6-7 (6), 6-4 in a match that lasted 2, hours, 37 minutes. They totaled five breaks in a wild third set that lasted 51 minutes, with Bastl coming back from 0-30 to break Hrbaty in the final game.
Unseeded American Paul Goldstein eliminated sixth-seeded Max Mirnyi of Belarus 0-6, 6-3, 6-3. Goldstein, ranked 78th by the ATP, won all four of his break points. American Mardy Fish, playing his first match since wrist surgery last month, outlasted British wild-card entry Andy Murray 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.
"That's a good win, regardless of not playing for two months or whatever it was,'' said Fish, the 16th seed as a wild card.
Giovanni Lapentti of Ecuador ousted 11th-seeded Cyril Saulnier of France 6-4, 5-7, 6-2. Bjorn Phau of Germany defeated 13th-seeded Jan Hernych of the Czech Republic 7-6 (3), 6-3.
Kevin Kim, ranked 69th, ousted 14th-seeded Hyung-Taik Lee of Korea 7-6 (8), 6-4. Noam Okun of Israel defeated Belgium's Xavier Malisse, the 15th seed, 6-2, 6-4.
Okun will play top-seeded Roddick in Thursday's quarterfinals.