DECEMBER 2000 SPORT HEADLINES

Thursday, January 18, 2001 - Web posted at 9:39:36 AM GMT

Agassi hits cruise control

MELBOURNE - Andre Agassi hit the cruise control button but his old rival Pete Sampras was made to sweat as they both advanced to the third round of the Australian Open yesterday.

The two dominant figures in men's tennis for the last decade are now just one match away from a quarter-final showdown in which, on the form displayed so far, Agassi will start as favourite.

The defending champion, bidding for his 7th Grand Slam title, looked close to his awesome best as he swept aside fellow American Paul Goldstein 6-1, 6-3, 6-1 under the floodlights in a packed Rod Laver Arena.

Agassi, who at 30 says he is fitter than ever, will have to beat Germany's David Prinosil to keep his date with Sampras, who must get past Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina.

Sampras was given his second tough workout of the tournament before edging past Bohdan Ulihrach, a Czech who had beaten him twice before.

A fifth set had looked inevitable when Ulihrach went a break up in the fourth.

But Sampras showed why he has won a record 13 Grand Slam titles by stepping up a gear to come back for a 7-6 (7/5), 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-5 win.

Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez was joined at the exit door by her Spanish compatriot Juan Carlos Ferrero, the men's 9th seed.

Marat Safin came through his second round clash with Romanian Andrei Pavel in four sets but the US Open champion admitted the combination of playing flat out and the lingering injury could derail his bid for a second Grand Slam.

It was business as usual for the other top men in action, with Pat Rafter, seeded 12th and playing in what may be his farewell Open, Tim Henman (8), Cedric Pioline (13) and Dominik Hrbaty (14) all booking their places in the third round.

In the women's singles, Davenport was joined at the same stage by Monica Seles (4), Anna Kournikova (8), Jennifer Capriati (12), Belgium's Kim Clijsters (15) and France's Sandrine Testud (14).

Ferrero, the first men's seed to fall, lost out in a five-set thriller to local hero Andrew Ilie.

Ilie, a journeyman professional who has spent his career in the shadow of the likes of Rafter, won 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 1-6, 6-2.

And he made the most of his moment in the spotlight.

After an autograph-signing lap of honour, he delighted the court one crowd by ripping off his shirt and tossing it into the stands.

Martinez, a finalist here in 1998, lost out in a three-and-a-half hour battle with Emmanuelle Gagliardi.

The Swiss girl finally triumphed 5-7, 6-3, 8-6.

An uncharacteristically error-strewn performance from second seed Davenport cost her a set against German qualifier Greta Arn before she pulled it back to win 6-2, 4-6, 6-2.

- Nampa-Sapa-AFP

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