LOS ANGELES, July 14: Andre Agassi earned an historic 800th career victory - his first success in four months - on Tuesday night, making a winning return to tennis as he reached the second round of the US$380,000 Mercedes-Benz Cup.
The evening's 6-3, 6-1 defeat of Alex Bogogmolov finally put Agassi over the hump on 800 wins, achieved after a long delay due to a hip injury setback over the spring and early summer.
The feat was marked on court in a post-match presentation of a cake and magnum of champagne to the new record-holder. "These 800 victories are something pretty special," said Agassi, now 800-248 for his career. "Especially when you dream of doing this your whole life.
"This achievement means a lot to me. I can almost remember each one. I'll do my best for 801 in the next round." The three-time tournament champion joined only five other players - Jimmy Connors, Ivan Lendl, Guillermo Vilas, John McEnroe and Stefan Edberg - as the only men to have achieved those heights.
"That's quite a group of guys to be in," said Agassi, who could still recall his first victory at age 15, also in California just a few hundred kilometres east of this event.
"They all probably accomplished their 800 in half the time as I did. Anytime you accomplish something that only the best have done, it's special." It was last March in Miami when the 34-year-old American notched a previous match victory.
In the interim while plagued by a right hip problem, the eight-time Grand Slam champion dropped three straight for the first time in seven years. After losses on clay in St Poelten and Roland Garros and a first-round defeat on the grass of Queen's club, Agassi then pulled out of Wimbledon as his hip failed to improve.
He went through rehab and added stretching to his punishing physical regime as he made a stand by entering Los Angeles, where he lifted trophies in 1998, 2001 and 2002, and played finals in 1988 and 1999.
Second-seed Paradorn Srichiphan joined Agassi in victory as he eliminated defending champion Wayne Ferreira 6-3, 7-6 (7-4). Ferreira, who is set to hang up his career after the U.S. Open, never looked like he had a chance against the Thai ace.
Ferreira went out in one hour, 23 minutes in a contest featuring only one break of serve. The win was the second in a month for Paradorn, who beat Ferreira on grass at Nottingham the week prior to Wimbledon.
Ferreira said he will surely wind up his career after the Open and a Davis Cup date for South Africa. Two more seeds advanced as number four Mardy Fish defeated Czech Jan Vacek 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Dutch fifth-seed Sjeng Schalken ousted Gregory Carraz 6-4, 6-4.
Briton Greg Rusedski knocked out seventh-seeded local Taylor Dent 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 6-2. Rusedski followed up on a grass title at the weekend on the east coast in Newport, Rhode Island.
Mark Philippoussis slipped back into a losing rut, absorbing a 6-1, 7-5 first-round defeat against Frenchman Julien Benneteau, who plays Agassi on Thursday. The world number 72 now stands 0-17 on hardcourt sets since the Australian Open in January.
RESULTS:
First round:
Andre Agassi, bt. Alex Bogomolov, 6-3, 6-1; Paradorn Srichiphan, bt. Wayne Ferreira, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4); Mardy Fish, bt. Jan Vacek, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2;Sjeng Schalken, bt. Gregory Carraz, 6-4, 6-4; Cyril Saulnier, bt. Vince Spadea, 6, 6-4 (back spasms); Greg Rusedski, bt. Taylor Dent, 7, 7-6 (9-7), 3-6, 6-2; Tommy Haas, bt. Robby Ginepri, 8, U.S., 6-4, 6-3; Jan Hernych, bt. Anthony Dupuis, 6-4, 6-7 (0-7), 6-4; Julien Benneteau, bt. Mark Philippoussis, 6-1, 7-5; Wesley Moodie, bt. Zach Fleishman, 6-4, 6-2.
Stuttgart ATP
STUTTGART: Results from the 614,750 euro ATP tournament on Wednesday:
Second Round:
Mariano Zabaleta (ARG) bt Marc Lopez (SPA) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2; Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) bt Jan Frode Andersen (NOR) 6-3, 6-1; Jiri Novak (CZE) bt Thierry Ascione (FRA) 6-2, 6-4; Mikail Youzhny (RUS) bt Alexander Popp (GER) 6-3, 7-6 (9/7); Rafael Nadal (SPA) bt Martin Vassallo-Arguello (ITA) 7-6 (7/4), 6-4;Albert Costa (SPA) bt Felix Mantilla (SPA) 7-5, 6-4. -Agencies
