Agassi makes a disastrous comeback

WASHINGTON, July 17: Andre agassi's return from a two and a half month's lay off was brief and unimpressive.The former world number one was...

WASHINGTON, July 17: Andre agassi8217;s return from a two and a half month8217;s lay off was brief and unimpressive.

The former world number one was upset 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 by 174th-ranked fellow American Doug Flach here yesterday in a second round match at the ATP Washington Classic, the first hardcourt tune-up for the US Open.

Agassi, ranked 31st, made 15 double faults in losing for the seventh time in past eight ATP matches.

8220;I got off to a good start but I got tired,8221; Agassi said. 8220;I haven8217;t played that much tennis in the past two and half months. I wasn8217;t expecting a whole lot. To stay on the court for more than an hour is uncharted territory for me. I didn8217;t have my court legs.8221;

Flach, who upset Agassi last year in the first round at Wimbledon, advanced to a third-round match today against 192th-ranked Ranier Schuttler of Germany.

Flach served 10 aces, including match point. He also made an impressive run of four in a row to save two break points and win the sixth game of the third set.

8220;That was great,8221; he said. 8220;That was the first time I have done that. He was a little slow. But I hit four great serves. I really surprised myself.8221;Australian qualifier Michael Tebbutt, who had not won an ATP match since last year8217;s US Open, won his second in as many days, upsetting fourth-seeded American Chris Woodruff 6-3, 6-3, in the second round.

Rubin beats White blue

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MAHWAH: Chanda Rubin made a triumphant return with a 6-4, 6-0 victory over Mary Carlisle White in A and P Tennis Classic.

White hung tough early, but the fourth-seeded Rubin earned the match8217;s first service break in the 10th game to win the first set. Also advancing to the quarter-finals yesterday was fifth-seeded Magdalena Maleeva, a 6-1, 6-2 victor over Stephanie Chi.

Bruguera advances

Stutgart:Fourth seed Sergi Bruguera started a busy day off on the right note for Spain, defeating no. 14 Wayne Ferreira 1-6, 6-3, 7-5 to reach the quarterfinals of the 1.04 million Mercedes Cup today.

Bruguera, a two-time French Open Champion completed a successful comeback against the South African in one hour 35 minutes.

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Boris Becker, will play Spain8217;s Clay specialist Albert Costa. Becker is still looking for a first career title on clay after reaching finals in Monte Carlo twice and once in Hamburg on the surface which has become his nemesis.