Sport - Tennis

Sampras knocked out

ROME May 7. Defending champion Juan Carlos Ferrero and fourth-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov advanced to the second round of the Rome Tennis Masters Series on Tuesday when their opponents retired in the second set. But Pete Sampras, holder of 13 Grand Slam titles was shown the exit by Felix Mantilla in three sets.

Ferrero, the 22-year-old Spanish clay-court specialist, notched his first career victory over Schuettler in three attempts, winning 6-2, 4-3 (retired).

Fourth-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov was another first-round winner via retirement. The Russian was breezing past Argentine Franco Squillari 6-1, 2-0 when his opponent also gave up, for an undescribed illness.

None of the tournament's top seeds have been beaten yet, with No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt, No. 6 Marat Safin and ninth-seeded Andre Agassi all advancing on Monday.

Tuesday's results (first round): Juan Carlos Ferrero bt Rainer Schuettler 6-2, 4-3 (retd); Yevgeny Kafelnikov bt Franco Squillari 6-1, 2-0 (retd); Albert Montanes bt Galo Blanco 6-2, 6-4; Arnaud Clement bt Thomas Johansson 6-4, 6-4; Juan Ignacio Chela bt Nikolay Davydenko 6-1, 2-6, 6-1; Fernando Gonzales bt Tim Henman, Britain 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-0; Thomas Enqvist bt Magnus Norman, Sweden 2-6, 1-2 (retd); Felix Mantilla bt Pete Sampras 6-4, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3.

Monday's results (first round): Andy Roddick bt Alex Calatrava 6-2, 6-3; Mark Philippoussis bt Vincent Spadea 6-2, 6-2; Michel Kratochvil bt Francisco Clavet 4-6, 7-5, 6-3; Giorgio Galimberti bt Alex Corretja 6-2, 2-6, 6-3; Albert Costa bt Nicolas Lapentti 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Ivan Ljubicic bt Federico Luzzi 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2; Lleyton Hewitt bt Jonas Bjorkman 6-2, 6-3. — AP

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