| | Associated Press
Results
DUESSELDORF, Germany -- Defending champion Australia, led by
rising star Lleyton Hewitt, benefited from a back injury to Albert
Costa and beat Spain 2-1 Monday in an opening match at the World
Team Cup.
The $1.9 million tournament features eight teams whose players
have the best individual rankings.
They are divided into two four-team groups that play a
round-robin system, with the top two nations advancing to the
final. The event is a tuneup for the French Open, the second Grand
Slam event of the year that starts May 29.
In other series, Slovkia completed its victory over the United
States, winning 2-1; Russia beat Chile 3-0; and Germany stopped
Sweden 2-1.
Hewitt was up 4-1 against Costa when the Spaniard quit, giving
Australia the lead. Spain came back when Felix Mantilla beat
Patrick Rafter 6-2, 6-4. Rafter, a former No. 1 player, looked
uneasy against a clay-court specialist.
Hewitt then teamed with Sandon Stolle for a 6-2, 6-2 victory in
the decisive doubles against Jairo Velasco and Juan Carrasco.
Slovakia, assured victory after winning both singles the day
before, lost the doubles against the United States. Alex O'Brien
and Jared Palmer combined for a 6-1, 7-6 (6) win over Karol Kucera
and Dominik, who had beaten Pete Sampras on Sunday 0-6, 6-4, 6-4.
Russia got off to a good start when Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat
Marcelo Rios 6-3, 7-5. Kafelnikov lost in the opening round in last
week's German Open, while Rios was a semifinalist.
After a series of early exits, Kafelnikov could be coming back
to form just before the French Open, which he won in 1996.
Marat Safin secured Russia's victory by beating Nicolas Massu
7-6 (7), 6-4.
Safin came into the match after a five-set thriller Sunday in
the final of the German Open, which he lost to Gustavo Kuerten.
Safin even came back for the doubles and he and Kafelnikov beat
Massu and Hermes Gamonal 6-3, 6-4 to complete Russia's shutout.
Germany completed its rain-delayed series, winning the doubles
against Sweden. Tommy Haas and David Prinosil beat Mikael
Tillstroem and Nicklas Kulti 6-2, 6-2. | |
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