04 August 2004	Wednesday	17 Jamadi-us-Saani 1425

CINCINNATI, Aug 3: Andre Agassi escaped another first round defeat on Monday and gained a measure of revenge when his opponent Mardy Fish retired at 4-6, 7-6, 4-1 in the Cincinnati Masters.

American Fish, last year's losing finalist, quit in the third set because of a back injury, allowing the former world number one to advance to the second round. He lost in the first round of the French Open in May, one of three consecutive opening round defeats, and missed Wimbledon.

It looked as though the eight-time Grand Slam winner was heading for another early exit when unable to convert a break point at 4-3. He then lost his next service game as Fish clinched the first set.

Agassi stamped his authority in the second set tie-break, using his power and control from the baseline to win 7-3. The younger American's power disappeared in the third set and he eventually succumbed to the back injury when trailing 1-4.

MONDAY'S RESULTS:

FIRST ROUND: 9-Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) beat Jan-Michael Gambill (US)6-4, 6-2; Wayne Arthurs (Australia) beat 16-Andrei Pavel (Romania) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) beat Dick Norman (Belgium) 6-4, 6-3;14-Marat Safin (Russia) beat Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) 6-3,6-0;10-Lleyton Hewitt (Australia) beat Alex Bogomolov Jr (US) 6-2, 6-4; Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) beat Xavier Malisse (Belgium) 4-6, 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5); Greg Rusedski (Britain) beat Thomas Enqvist (Sweden) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) beat Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) 6-4,6-4;11-Andre Agassi (US) beat Mardy Fish (US) 4-6, 7-6 (7-3), 4-1 - retired; 4-Carlos Moya (Spain) beat Arvind Palmer (Britain) 3-6, 7-5, 6-2; Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) beat Wesley Moodie (South Africa) 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (11-9); Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) beat Michel Kratochvil (Switzerland) 2-6, 6-2, 7-5; Tommy Haas (Germany) beat 8-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) 6-3, 1-6, 6-4; 17-Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Rafael Nadal (Spain) 6-4, 4-6, 7-6 (7-3).

PIERCE WINS

MONTREAL: Mary Pierce of France, a Montreal native, defeated Marlene Weingartner of Germany 6-1, 6-1 in the opening round of the Montreal Cup WTA tennis tournament on Monday.

Pierce, ranked 17th, remains a crowd favourite despite the fact she left the city as a child and does not have any memories of her time in Montreal.

MONDAY'S RESULTS:

FIRST ROUND: Tatiana Golovin (France) beat Anca Barna (Germany) 6-2, 6-1; 17-Mary Pierce (France) beat Marlene Weingartner (Germany) 6-1, 6-1; Nicole Pratt (Australia) beat Shenay Perry (US) 6-4, 6-4; 16-Fabiola Zuluaga (Colombia) beat Maria Sanchez Lorenzo (Spain) 6-1, 6-4; Tamarine Tanasugarn (Thailand) beat Marta Marrero (Spain) 6-3, 6-3; 13-Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria) beat Lina Krasnoroutskaya (Russia) 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-4; Shinobu Asagoe (Japan) beat Aleksandra Wozniak (Canada) 6-3, 6-2; Alina Jidkova (Russia) beat Teryn Ashley (US) 6-1, 6-2; Daniela Hantuchova (Slovakia) beat Emilie Loit (France) 5-3 - retired; 12-Karolina Sprem (Croatia) beat Maureen Drake (Canada) 6-2, 6-1; 11-Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Marie-Eve Pelletier (Canada) 6-3, 7-5. -Reuters