Sampras, Davenport Struggle to Advance at Open

ByABC News
January 17, 2001, 12:38 PM

M E L B O U R N E, Australia, Jan. 17 -- This wasnt Pete Sampras usual wayof winning.

Sampras, who has used a formidable serve-and-volley game to win13 Grand Slam tournaments, was broken six times before beatingBohdan Ulihrach 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5 today.

The No. 3 seed advanced to the Australian Open's third rounddespite 12 double faults and 46 unforced errors in a three-hourmatch.

Agassi Breezes by Goldstein

Sampras missed on his first match point in the final set's 10thgame after some desperate retrieving by Ulihrach.

He had to overcome two double faults to hold for 6-5. Then, onhis second match point, he brought the Czech player up to the netwith a short volley and then passed him with a backhand volley downthe line.

Sampras gave credit to Ulihrach for putting pressure on hisservice game and pushing him to double fault by trying for toomuch.

"I felt like I was serving well, but he was returning andpassing me great," said Sampras, who converted six of nine breakpoints, matching Ulihrach's figure.

"I also felt like I was playing well enough from the back ofthe court to break him."

In contrast, defending champion Andre Agassi needed just onehour, 17 minutes to sweep fellow American Paul Goldstein 6-1, 6-3,6-1.

"I really believe that if I continue striking the ball andmoving like I am and concentrating like I am, I'll do all right,"said Agassi, the No. 6 seed.

Davenport Survives, Martinez Falls

Women's defending champion Lindsay Davenport, meanwhile, neededher serve to pull her through a frustrating match with a batch ofmissed chances in the second set. She won 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 againstGerman qualifier Greta Arn.

Spain's fortunes suffered a big blow with losses by its only twoseeds women's No. 5 Conchita Martinez and men's No. 9 Juan Carlos Ferrero.

Martinez, women's runner-up in 1998 and a semifinalist lastyear, fell 5-7, 6-3, 8-6 in the second round to Switzerland'sEmmanuelle Gagliardi, ranked 93rd on the women's tour.