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ROME, May 7: Pete Sampras skidded out of the Rome Masters Series event in the first round, beaten 6-4 6-7 (3-7) 6-3 by Spaniard Felix Mantilla Tuesday.
It was the second year in a row that Sampras, holder of a record 13 grand slam singles titles, has lost in the opening round of the Rome event.
FERRERO, KAFELNIKOV WIN
Third seed Juan Carlos Ferrero made smooth progress through to the second round Tuesday when Germany’s Rainer Schuettler retired mid-way through the second set with a groin injury.
After receiving advice and treatment from the ATP trainer, Schuettler threw in the towel with the Spaniard leading 6-2 4-3.
Ferrero is one of the favourites for the French Open which starts in three weeks.
Ferrero wasn’t the only one to benefit from an injured opponent.
Yevgeny Kafelnikov also had a easy start to his campaign, earning his second round place when Franco Squillari was forced to retire through illness with the Russian in control 6-1 2-0.
First round results
James Blake (USA) bt Younes El Aynaoui (Mar) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3; Thomas Enqvist (Swe) bt Magnus Norman (Swe) 2-6, 1-2 retired; Felix Mantilla (Spa) bt Pete Sampras (USA x12) 6-4, 6-7 (3/7), 6-3; Agustin Calleri (Arg) bt Stefan Koubek (Aut) 6-2, 7-6 (7/4); Fernando Gonzalez (Chi) bt Tim Henman (Gbr x5) 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-0; Albert Montanes (Spa) bt Gala Blanco (Spa) 6-2, 6-4; Arnaud Clement (Fra) bt Thomas Johansson (Swe x8) 6-4, 6-4; Jose Ignacio Chela (Arg) bt Nikolay Davydenko (Rus) 6-1, 2-6, 6-1; Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa x3) bt Rainer Schuttler (Ger) 6-2, 4-3 retired; Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus x4) bt Franco Squillari (Arg) 6-1, 2-0 retired.
PIERCE ADVANCES
BERLIN: Former French Open winners Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario and Mary Pierce warmed up for their trip to Paris by both getting through their first-round matches at the German Open Tuesday.
Sanchez-Vicario, who has triumphed at Roland Garros three times but is now 30 and has dropped out of the top 15, beat Slovenia’s Tina Pisnik 6-4 6-1.
Pierce won in Paris two years ago but will not be among the favourites in this year’s edition starting on May 27 after plunging to a miserable 195th in the WTA rankings following persistent injury worries.
She also went through, moving past Argentine Mariana Diaz-Oliva 6-1 7-5.
Sanchez-Vicario, who won in Berlin in 1995 and is seeded 13th this year, looked a bit rusty in the first set but then stepped up a gear.
Pierce, who has been through hard times since beating Spain’s Conchita Martinez in the 2000 French Open final, showed glimpses of her old form in the first set of her match against Diaz-Oliva.
The Frenchwoman allowed the Argentine to fight her way back into the match in the second and had to save two set points before sealing victory.
Italian Silvia Farina Elia, the 10th seed, who was one set down against Slovenia’s Katarina Srebotnik when their match was interrupted by poor light on Monday, recovered on Tuesday to win 3-6 6-4 6-4.
The top seeds, with world number two Jennifer Capriati leading the field, will not be in action before Wednesday.
Berlin is close to Capriati’s heart as she made a big breakthrough as a teenager here, reaching the semifinals 11 years ago. The American made the final last year, losing to powerful Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo.
World number one Venus Williams is absent this year but her younger sister, Serena, is here, playing her first tournament of the year on the red clay — not her favourite surface.—Reuters
