April 18, 2002	Thursday	Safar 4, 1423

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MONTE CARLO, April 17: Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson tore into the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Wednesday, crushing Stefan Koubek 6-4 6-1.

Having finally broken a five-year run of first round losses here this year, the Swede is looking increasingly comfortable on the principality’s slow clay.

The eighth seed edged left-hander Koubek in a tight first set before running away with the second on Court 10.

A powerful backhand had Koubek scampering on match point and the Austrian could only hoist a lob which fell long to hand Johansson victory.

Johansson could next face Guillermo Canas. The Argentine 12th seed plays Romania’s Andrei Pavel later on Wednesday.

Wednesday’s results: (prefix number denotes seeding,

(Second round): 2-Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Felix Mantilla (Spain) 6-1 3-6 7-6 (7-3); 10-Andy Roddick (U.S.) beat Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-3); 8-Thomas Johansson (Sweden) beat Stefan Koubek (Austria) 6-4 6-1; Alberto Martin (Spain) beat Markus Hipfl (Austria) 1-6 7-5 6-1; Albert Costa (Spain) beat Michael Llodra (France) 6-4 6-1; 11-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat Nicolas Coutelot (France) 3-6 6-2 6-3; 13-Alex Corretja (Spain) beat Andrea Gaudenzi (Italy) 6-3 6-3; Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Hicham Arazi (Morocco) 6-1 6-1—Reuters

SELES, SERENA WIN: Second seed Monica Seles struggled to victory in her opening match at the Family Circle Cup at Charleston (US) Tuesday, as third seed Serena Williams barely broke into a sweat to advance in straight sets. Seles spent one hour 46 minutes battling fellow American Amy Frazier before closing out the second round match by a 4-6, 6-3, 6-0 margin.

By contrast, Williams never offered American Jennifer Hopkins an opportunity to turn anything around in her 6-0 6-2 victory that took just 40 minutes to complete.

Williams was nearly flawless in the first set, dominating Hopkins to the point she only lost six of 30 points played.

In the second set, Williams went ahead 3-0 before Hopkins held serve in the fourth and sixth games.

Top-seeded Jennifer Capriati begins the defence of her Charleston title against Slovakia’s Janette Husarova on Wednesday.

Anna Kournikova tried to prevent Conchita Martinez from posting a 30th birthday victory, but wilted after a tight first set to give the Spaniard a 7-6, 6-1 present.

Despite the loss, the Russian player was happy with her performance and believes she is making progress after sitting out most of last year with a stress fracture to her left foot.

Neither player seemed capable of holding serve in the first set as both Kournikova and Martinez swapped breaks for five straight games.

Kournikova started the tiebreak on the wrong foot by double faulting on the first point.

Although the Russian competed in most of the rallies, it was clear that the Spaniard was going to be the tougher competitor.

After Kournikova flung a backhand long to lose the last point of the first set, the match was always heading in Martinez’s direction.

Tuesday’s results (prefix number denotes seedings):

First round: Mary Pierce (France) beat Alicia Molik (Australia) 6-3, 6-4; 12-Elena Dementieva (Russia) beat Rika Fujiwara (Japan) 7-6 (9-7), 6-1; Paola Suarez (Argentina) beat Marissa Irvin (US) 6-1, 6-1; Stephanie Foretz (France) beat Wynne Prakusya (Indonesia) 6-2, 6-0; Janette Husarova (Slovakia) beat Samantha Reeves (US) 3-6, 6-3, 6-3; 10-Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (Spain) beat Rita Grande (Italy) 6-4, 6-2; Conchita Martinez (Spain) beat Anna Kournikova (Russia) 7-6 (7-5), 6-1; 13-Amanda Coetzer (South Africa) beat Erika de Lone (US) 6-4, 6-2; Patty Schnyder (Switzerland) beat Virginia Ruano Pascual (Spain) 6-2, 6-3; Ai Sgiyama (Japan) beat Anne Kremer (Luxembourg) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; 11-Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Rossana Neffa-de Los Rios (Paraguay) 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-0.

Second round: 2-Monica Seles (US) beat Amy Frazier (US) 4-6, 6-3, 6-0; 3-Serena Williams (US) beat Jennifer Hopkins (US) 6-0, 6-2; Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); Clarissa Fernandez (Argentina) beat 9-Silvia Farina Elia (Italy) 7-6 (7-4), 6-0; Iva Majoli (Croatia) beat Marie-Gaianeh Mikaelian (Switzerland) 6-2, 6-4.