| | Associated Press
PARIS -- Pete Sampras, seeking his 13th Grand Slam title but
his first in Paris, drew a difficult opening-round opponent for the
French Open that begins Monday: big-hitting Mark Philippoussis of
Australia.
Defending champion and No. 1 seed Andre Agassi shouldn't have
many problems in his opener, against inexperienced Anthony Dupuis
of France. But Lindsay Davenport, the women's Wimbledon and
Australian Open champion, would have hoped for an easier
first-round opponent than Belgium's Dominique Van Roost.
Neither Sampras nor Philippoussis, who has slipped to No. 24 in
the rankings, is at home on clay, but their match should be the
highlight of the first round -- and give the Aussie a chance for
revenge.
In a 1999 quarterfinal match at Wimbledon, Philippoussis won the
first set -- and looked capable of snapping Sampras' three-year
unbeaten run at the championship -- before being forced to withdraw
because of injury.
Sampras, the longtime world No. 1, is hoping to improve on his
recent poor showings at Roland Garros, where he lost in the second
round in 1998 and 1999.
If he advances, Sampras, who had won only one match on clay in
2000 before this week, could face dangerous Moroccan Hicham Arazi
in round three.
Agassi should be much too strong for Dupuis, who has played only
one Grand Slam match, last year at Roland Garros.
But Agassi could meet experienced Karol Kucera of Slovakia in
round two and countryman Todd Martin in the final 16.
Tenth-seeded Alex Corretja faces Spanish compatriot Alberto
Martin in the first round, while the match between Tommy Haas and
Marcelo Rios, both unseeded, could be another first-round
highlight.
Cedric Pioline will be trying to become the first French winner
since Yannick Noah in 1983. The No. 6 seed, the Monte Carlo
champion, faces Italy's Davide Sanguinetti in his first match and
could meet Australia's Patrick Rafter in round two.
On the women's side, top-seeded Martina Hingis plays another
experienced Belgian, Sabine Appelmans.
Monica Seles, winner of the Italian Open, begins her run for a
fourth French Open title against Croatia's Silvija Talaja.
U.S. Open Serena Williams withdrew because of a recurring knee
injury. Her sister Venus meets Jana Kandarr of Germany in the first
round.
| |
ALSO SEE
Knee injury knocks Serena Williams out of French Open
Agassi, Hingis get top seeds for French Open
 |
