DUBAI, Feb 10: Defending champion Thomas Muster of Austria waltzed past talented Australian Sandon Stolle 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4 in the first round of the $1 million Dubai Tennis Open here.In another exciting contest on the opening day of the ATP World series event, Wayne Ferreira of South Africa fought back to overcome Javier Sanchez of Spain 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-5.Sixth-seeded Felix Mantilla of Spain defeated Moroccan Karim Alami 6-4, 6-2 on centre court while Swede Magnus Norman dropped a set against Spaniard Albert Portas before prevailing 6-2, 4-6, 6-3.Agassi storms into semis
SAN JOSE: Andre Agassi swept into California with as much fury as the El Nino weather system, laying waste to Spain's Alberto Martin 6-2 6-2 in a first-round match at the Sybase Open.
Agassi will be joined in the second round by second-seeded Michael Chang, a 6-2 6-4 winner over German Marcello Craca. The only other seed in action Monday was 19-year-old German Tommy Haas, the seventh seed, who dispatched Spain's Juan AlbertViloca 6-1 6-4.Other winners included American Malivai Washington,who beat Paraguay's Ramon Delgado 7-5 6-2.
Qualifier stuns Magdalena
PARIS: Emilie Loit, a French teenager ranked 234th who had to play in the qualifying event to get into the main draw, raised eyebrows at the Paris Indoor Tennis Open today when she beat Bulgaria's Magdalena Maleeva in straight sets.The powerful 18-year-old left-hander stunned the world's 29th-ranked player racing to a 6-0, 6-2 victory.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
