Sampras, who regained his world number one ranking this week, needed the full three sets to hold off Davide Sanguinetti of Italy 6-3 5-7 7-5 on a day in which rain forced an abbreviated program and turned the courts into sludge.

In the only other match completed yesterday, Atlanta native Richey Reneberg rallied to upset eighth seed Wayne Black of Zimbabwe 5-7 6-2 6-1. The tournament is using an experimental rule in which players are allowed to consult with their coaches for two minutes at the first changeover after each set, and Sampras said Paul Annacone gave him a key tip for beating.

Korda bows out
PRAGUE: Slava Dosedel upset top-seeded Czech compatriot Petr Korda 6-3 6-2 at the Czech Open today and delayed Korda's hopes of becoming No 1 in the world. In other singles,Nicolas Lapenti of Ecuador defeated Germany's Martin Sinner 6-2, 6-0.

Agassi downs Bjorkman
MUNICH: Andre Agassi dodged sprinkles of rain - and one mighty thunderclap - on his way to a 6-2, 6-2 win over second seed Jonas Bjorkman to reach the semifinals of the $525,000 BMW Open here today.

The World no. 20 wasted no time, needing just 59 minutes under darkening skies in surging to his third career win against Bjorkman without a defeat.

Hingis in semis
HAMBURG: World number 1 Martina Hingis hammered Jennifer Capriati 6-1, 6-3 today to complete the quarterfinals of the $450,000 Grand Prix tennis tournament in Hamburg.

The Swiss Hingis was rarely endangered in her 56-minute win over former top-10 US player Capriati. In the semifinals tomorrow Hingis meets unseeded Austrian Barbara Schett, a 6-0, 6-0 winner over hapless Spaniard Virginia Ruano Pasqual.

The other semi-final brings together second-seeded Jana Novotna of the Czech Republic and the other Swiss teenager, Patty Schnyder.