Hingis fights back to win

Filderstadt germany, Oct 8: A mad dash to collect her contact lenses left Martina Hingis all at sea in the early part of her match agai...

Filderstadt germany, Oct 8: A mad dash to collect her contact lenses left Martina Hingis all at sea in the early part of her match against Anna Kournikova in the Filderstadt Grand Prix yesterday.

Hingis, late arriving at the arena, had to sprint down a corridor to retrieve the lenses and then won only one game in the opening set.

Pierce was bothered by a blister on her left big toe and never played at her best.

Sampras, Rafter spin out

BASLE, SWITZERLAND: World number one Pete Sampras and number two Patrick Rafter fell at the first hurdle at the Swiss Indoors championship, crashing out of the first round within hours of each other.

Sampras, in action for the first time yesterday since last month8217;s US Open, showed signs of rust losing a tense 4-6, 7-6, 6-3 battle with South Africa8217;s Wayne Ferreira.

Moments earlier, the court had been the scene of another upset when Rafter, also playing his first tournament since successfully defending his US Open title, was brushed aside 7-6, 7-5 by theCzech Republic8217;s Daniel Vacek, ranked 44th in the world.

The first round of the 1 million Swiss tournament has proven to be a graveyard for this year8217;s Grand Slam winners with Rafter, Sampras and Australian Open champion Petr Korda, who lost to Germany8217;s Nicolas Kiefer in his opening match on Tuesday, all making early exits.

Ivanisevic advances

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BEIJING: Croatia8217;s Goran Ivanisevic and American Michael Chang have scored straights-set victories and advanced to the quarter-finals of the Shanghai open.

Top-seeded Ivanisevic overwhelmed Justin Gimelstob of the United States 6-1, 6-4 yesterday. He will face Denmark8217;s Kenneth Carlsen in the quarters. Carlsen advanced by beating Steve Campbell of the United States 6-3, 3-6, 6-3.

Chang, the number two seed, breezed past Italy8217;s Laurence Tieleman 6-3, 6-3 and will face number eight Todd Woodbridge of Australia, who won 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 against France8217;s Lionel Roux.

Paul Haarhuis, the fifth seed from Holland, won his first round match 6-3, 6-4against Spanish qualifier Oscar Burrieza.