Enigmatic Ivanisevice serves a warning

MELBOURNE, JANUARY 18: Goran Ivanisevic is one big server who hasn't been mentioned as a threat on the Australian Open's faster courts. Th...

MELBOURNE, JANUARY 18: Goran Ivanisevic is one big server who hasn8217;t been mentioned as a threat on the Australian Open8217;s faster courts. That could change after he ousted 13th seed Cedric Pioline in the first round. Ivanisevic served 13 of his 32 aces in the final set in Tuesday8217;s 6-4 2-6 7-5 1-6 9-7 victory.

Pete Sampras says the resurfaced Melbourne Park hardcourts are playing like grass, and Ivanisevic has had his best Grand Slam results on that surface, finishing as runner-up three times at Wimbledon.

8220;It is fast like Wimbledon, which is OK for me,8221; Ivanisevic said.

Then again, Pioline said, 8220;you never know with Goran. Tomorrow he can lose to his mom.8221;

Not so, said Ivanisevic.

8220;She never played tennis. But I can lose to some pretty bad guys,8221; added the 28-year-old Croat, who finished out of the top 20 last year for the first time in 10 years, but reached the fourth round at Wimbledon. He ended the year at 62nd.

Ivanisevic saved three break points in the final set8217;s ninth game, and four inthe 13th, where he came back from 0-40 with two aces and a service winner, and closed the game with another ace and service winner.

He broke Pioline in the final game at love, finishing with a forehand serve return winner.

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8220;I just need to get my confidence back, my ranking back,8221; said Ivanisevic, who climbed as high as No 2 in 1994. 8220;Every match that I win is good for me, for my confidence. 8230; I just think I still belong up there somewhere and I still can play good tennis, so hopefully I can prove that.8221;

The next seed he might meet would be No 4 Nicolas Kiefer in the round of 16. Keifer advanced to the second round defeating Argentina8217;s Guillermo Canas 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4.

Pioline was among three men8217;s seeds who lost today.

No 5 Gustavo Kuerten had three match points in the fourth set tie-breaker before losing 4-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 10-8 6-4 to Spain8217;s Albert Portas.

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Belgium8217;s Christophe Rochus ousted No 15 Albert Costa 6-3 6-7 8-10 6-4 6-3.

Defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov received treatmentfor a groin pull at 5-4 in the second set and then lost only three more games in a 6-7 4, 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 victory over Germany8217;s Jens Knippschild.

No 7 Nicolas Lapentti, a semifinalist here last year, overcame Ukraine8217;s Andrei Medvedev, the French Open runner-up, 6-3 5-7 6-7 2-7 6-4 8-6 in 3 hours, 38 minutes.

No 10 Tommy Haas downed France8217;s Cyril Saulnier 7-6 7-2 6-4 4-6 6-2 and No 12 Magnus Norman upstaged American Cecil Mamiit 7-5 6-4 3-6 6-3.

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The second-seeded Kafelnikov, also troubled by back pain since last week, said he was proud he could tough it out.

He was aced 20 times, but received help from 74 unforced errors by Knippschild.

Kafelnikov called the courts 8220;ridiculously fast compared to last year,8221; and said conditions 8220;definitely favour the big-serve players like Sampras, Philippoussis, Krajicek.8221;

No 3 Sampras, No 9 Richard Krajicek and No 16 Mark Philippoussis all won their first-round matches yesterday.

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Michael Chang, runner-up here and at the US Open in 1996, lost 6-4 6-47-6 7-5.

In women8217;s matches, Martina Hingis, who has won three consecutive Australian Opens on slower courts, quickly beat heavy-hitting Mirjana Lucic 6-1 6-2, and said the faster surface didn8217;t worry her.

How The Seeds Fared
Men8217;s singles 1st round: 2-Yevgeny Kafelnikov Rus bt Jens Knippschild Ger 6-7 4-7 6-4 6-1 6-2; 4-Nicolas Kiefer Ger bt Guillermo Canas Arg 4-6 6-3 6-4 6-4; Albert Portas Spa bt 5-Gustavo Kuerten Bra 4-6 4-6 6-4 7-6 10-8 6-4; 7-Nicholas Lapentti Ecu bt Andrei Medvedev Ukr 6-3 5-7 6-7 2-7 6-4 8-6; 10-Tommy Haas Ger bt Cyril Saulnier Fra 7-6 7-2 6-4 4-6 6-2; 12-Magnus Norman Swe bt Cecil Mamiit US 7-5 6-4 3-6 6-3; Goran Ivanisevic Cro bt 13-Cedric Pioline Fra 6-4 2-6 7-5 1-6 9-7; Christophe Rochus Bel bt 15-Albert Costa Spa 6-3 6-7 8-10 6-4 6-3

Women8217;s singles 1st round: 1-Martina Hingis Swi bt Mirjana Lucic Cro 6-1 6-2; 3-Serena Williams US bt Amanda Grahame Aus 6-4 4-6 6-4; 6-Barbara Schett Aut bt Meilen TuUS 6-2 6-7 1-7 6-4; 8-Amanda Coetzer RSA leads Tatiana Panova Rus 6-3 2-2 rain stopped play; 10-Conchita Martinez Spa bt Sandra Kleinova Cze 6-1 6-1; 12-Sandrine Testud Fra bt Petra Mandula Hun 6-3 4-6 6-3; 13-Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario Spa bt Julia Abe Ger 6-2 6-2; 16-Elena Likhotseva Rus bt Pavlina Nola Bul 6-2 6-2

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Other first round results
Men8217;s singles: Roger Federer Swi bt Michael Chang US 6-4 6-4 7-6 7-5; Jonas Bjorkman Swe bt Jason Stoltenberg Aus 6-7 6-8 6-4 6-4 0-6 6-4; Alex Corretja Spa bt Sargis Sargsian Arm 7-6 7-5 6-4 6-4; Adrian Voinea Rom bt Vincent Spadea US 7-6 7-1 4-6 4-6 6-3 6-2; Francisco Clavet Spa bt Dominik Hrbaty Svk 3-6 6-1 6-4 7-6 7-3; Max Mirnyi Blr bt Ronald Agenor Hai 6-7 5-7 7-6 7-5 6-3 6-3; Daniel Vacek Cze bt Orlin Stanoytchev Bul 1-6 7-6 7-4 7-6 13-11 6-2; Grant Stafford RSA bt Marat Safin Rus 7-6 7-4 6-4 6-1; Thomas Johansson Swe bt Nicklas Kulti Swe 6-1 6-2 6-4; Karim AlamiMor bt Lorenzo Manta Swi 6-4 7-6 7-5 7-5; Kevin Ullyett Zim bt Micheal Tabara Cze 6-1 7-6 8-6 4-6 6-1; Michael Llodra Fra bt Gaston Gaudio Arg 6-3 6-3 6-2; Wayne Ferreira RSA bt George Bastl Swi 6-3 6-3 4-6 7-6 7-2; Stefan Koubek Aut bt Rodolphe Cadart Fra 6-3 5-7 6-2 6-4; Antony Dupuis Fra bt Martin Rodriguez Arg 6-4 6-4 7-6 7-4; Tomas Behrend Ger bt Fernando Meligeni Bra 6-2 4-6 6-7 5-7 6-3 6-0; Jan Kroslak Slo bt Alex Lopez-Moron Spa 6-1 3-6 6-3 7-5; Arnuad Clement Fra bt John Van Lottum Ned 7-6 7-2 6-4 retired; Younes El Aynaoui Mar bt Arvind Parmar GBR 6-7 8-10 7-6 7-5 1-6 6-3 6-1; Juan Carlos Ferrero Spa bt Scott Draper Aus 7-6 7-3 6-3 7-6 7-3; Jiri Vanek Cze bt Peter Wessels Ned 6-4 6-3 2-6 7-6 7-5; Laurence Tieleman Ita bt Alberto Martin Spa 6-2 7-6 7-3 6-7 3-7 6-3; Gianaluca Pozzi Ita bt Tomas Zib Cze 6-3 7-6 9-7 6-7 5-7 6-1.

Women8217;s singles 1st round: Chanda Rubin US bt Anna Smashnova Isr 6-36-4; Lisa Raymond US bt Alexandra Fusai Fra 5-7 6-4 6-4 Sabine Appelmans Bel bt Annabel Ellwood Aus 6-2 6-2; Els Callens Bel bt Amy Frazier US 6-1 6-3; Ruxandra Dragomir Rom bt Tathiana Garbin Ita 7-5 6-4; Erika de Lone US bt Annamaria Foldenyi Hun 6-1 6-4; Miroslava Vavrinec Swi bt Lisa McShea Aut 6-1 6-4; Olga Barabanschikova Blr bt Irina Spirlea Rom 6-4 3-6 6-3; Karina Habsudova Slo bt Jolene Watanabe US 6-0 6-1; Tamarine Tanasugarn Tha bt Rita Grande Ita 6-3 6-4; Jana Nejedly Can bt Katarina Srebotnik Slo 6-4 1-6 6-4; Alicia Molik Aus bt Silvija Talaja Cro 6-1 5-7 7-5; Emmanuelle Gagliardi Swi bt Alexia Dechaume-Balleret Fra 6-2 6-0; Bryanne Stewart Aus bt Maria Alejandra Vento Ven 7-5 6-3; Sylvia Plischke Aut bt Lubomira Bacheva Bul 6-4 6-4; Justine Henin Bel bt Kerry-Ann Gusse Aus 6-4 6-3; Jelena Kostanic Cro bt Marlana Baiz-Olivia Arg 6-3 6-7 3-7 6-4; Florencia Labat Arg bt Ludmila Cervanova Slo 6-2 6-3; Kristina Brandi US btGala Leon Garcia Spa 6-3 6-3; Nicole Pratt Aus bt Maria Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo Spa 6-3 6-0; Angelica Gavaldon Mex bt Tzibora Obziler Isr 6-4 4-6 6-4; Magui Serna Spa bt Maureen Drake Can 6-4 6-2; Denisa Chladkova Cze bt Virginie Razzano Fra 7-6 12-10 6-2.