Sampras, Pierce Advance at U.S. Open

N E W  Y O R K, Sept. 3, 2000 -- The latest hero in this melting pot of a U.S.Open, and the next to face four-time champion Pete Sampras, is aSouth Korean qualifier from a small, rural town who speaks littleEnglish and whose only friend in New York owns a dry cleaning shop.

Hyung-Taik Lee, playing in his first major tournament fresh froma victory on the second-tier Challenger circuit, reached theround-of-16 in this $15 million Grand Slam event Saturday bybeating Germany’s Rainer Schuttler 6-2, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

From the far edge of the National Tennis Center on Court 10,where Koreans crowded around to cheer him, the No. 182-ranked Leewill move over to towering Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday to playSampras.

Ready to Rumble

“If I’m not in awe of the crowd and the stadium, I’m going to put up a good fight,” Lee said through a translator.

Sampras, like virtually everyone else on the tour, never heardof Lee before this week. Nor had Sampras ever heard of the guy hestruggled against in the steamy heat Saturday, Argentina’s AgustinCalleri, in a 7-6 (5), 7-6 (3), 6-3 win.

“I was told by someone in the locker room … that he was alefty that stays back,” Sampras said. “He was a righty that hitsthe ball big. Bad information.”

In a tournament that has seen Galo Blanco of Spain knock offtwo-time champion Patrick Rafter, and Arnaud Clement of France beatdefending champion Andre Agassi, Sampras is tempering hisconfidence with caution.

“He’s going to come out swinging away, like the guy I playedtoday did,” Sampras said.

Sampras has been running into obscure players lately. On the wayto the Wimbledon title, he played a semifinals match against amystery man from Minsk, Vladimir Voltchkov, who wore borrowedshorts and donated shoes and made more money in two weeks than hehad earned in five years as a pro.

Financial Gap

Lee, 24, has guaranteed himself at least $55,000 by reaching thefourth round. In seven years scuffling around as a pro on thefringes, he’s made a total of $98,021. Sampras, winner of a record13 Grand Slam titles, has made more than $40 million in tourevents.

No Korean man had ever gone beyond the first round in a majortournament, making Lee not only a surprise here but a celebrity inhis homeland. Saturday’s match was televised live throughout SouthKorea.

“He’s the highest-ranked Korean player ever, so he’s justcreating history in Korea when it comes to tennis,” said Lee’sinterpreter, Chris Kim of MBC, a Korean television network.

Upsets abounded throughout the first week, and the latestvictims were Conchita Martinez, Anna Kournikova, Yevgeny Kafelnikovand Mark Philippoussis. Hicham Arazi retired with cramps whileleading in the fifth set, and Jerome Golmard retired one roundafter upsetting Nicolas Lapentti.

Defending women’s champion Serena Williams avoided an upset,beating Giulia Casoni 6-4, 6-2 to reach the round-of-16.

Kafelnikov, seeded No. 5, lost to Dominik Hrbaty 6-4, 7-6 (5),6-1.

Given an extra day of rest, Jan-Michael Gambill upset thehard-serving, 15th-seeded Philippoussis 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in the finalsecond-round match. The match had been postponed by rain Fridaynight.

Shortage of Americans

Gambill, along with Sampras and Todd Martin, represented thefewest American men ever to reach the third round at the U.S. Open.

Martinez, seeded seventh, was treated for leg cramps during hermatch, which she lost to Elena Dementieva of Russia 6-4, 6-1, andJustine Henin of Belgium ousted Kournikova, the No. 12 seed, 6-4,7-6 (5).

Sampras didn’t have it easy. He never lost his serve, but brokeCalleri only once — in the eighth game of the third set.

Calleri, ranked No. 72, was one of 28 players — more thanone-fifth of the 128-man draw — who made his U.S. Open debut. Theonly other major tournaments he played were the French Open lastyear and this year.

“I didn’t know what to expect,” Sampras said. “I’d never seen him play. He’s got a big, big serve, and he backs it up with huge groundies. Really caught me off guard. I mean, he came out swinging away.

“It’s just a sign of the game and how strong it is from the No.1 guy to wherever you’re ranked. He’s got a good future, good game. He really made me work hard.”

Sampras might have to work hard against Lee, too, if the Koreankeeps playing the way he has.

Baseline Power

Controlling most of the points from the baseline, Lee kept theball deep and hit with pace off both sides. Lee moved Schuttlerfrom side to side, looking for an opening. And when he found one,he would rifle a winner.

In other men’s matches, ninth-seeded Lleyton Hewitt defeatedJiri Novak of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-3, 6-3; and unseededRichard Krajicek beat No. 11 Tim Henman 6-4, 3-6, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 ina match that ended after 1 a.m. ET.

Also getting through were No. 2 Lindsay Davenport, No. 4 MaryPierce and No. 10 Anke Huber.

Davenport beat Tamarine Tanasugarn 6-2, 6-1; Pierce defeatedLisa Raymond 6-4, 7-6 (6); Huber down Elena Likhovtseva 6-2, 6-3,Lilia Osterloh beat Shinobu Asagoe 7-5, 6-0, and Jelena Dokicstopped Francesca Schiavone 7-6 (4), 7-5.

Among women’s doubles matches, Venus and Serena Williams beatOsterloh and Alexandra Stevenson 6-2, 6-1; Martina Hingis andPierce beat Lubomira Bacheva and Cristina Torrens Valero 6-0, 6-2;and Martina Navratilova and Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario defeatedJennifer Capriati and Kournikova.

The top-seeded men’s doubles team of Todd Woodbridge and MarkWoodforde lost to Hewitt and Max Mirnyi 6-1, 4-6, 7-6 (4).