Rafter clears Ondruska hurdle

Rafter isn’t the only player seeking to consolidate a omeback at the 2.95 million-dollar event, the first of the year’s elite Masters series tournaments.

Second seed Pete Sampras, who withdrew from the US Open with a herniated disc, has since withdrawn from three more events with injuries

A back strain forced him out of the Paris Open in early November. He strained a hip in a semifinal loss to Andre Agassi at the Australian Open and cited that injury in withdrawing from the Davis Cup. Last week Sampras pulled out before the second round in Scottsdale with a back strain.

Sampras, the highest seed left in the draw after Andre Agassi’s surprising first-round ouster, rebounded from his Scottsdale disappointment with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev.

“I haven’t played a lot of matches, so I’m pleased,“Sampras said. “I hit well, I moved well. My body came up well, so it was a good night.”

Seventh seed Marcelo Rios of Chile, who had surgery on both legs in November, defeated Czech Daniel Vacek 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.

Rafter, who lost in the first round to spanish newcomer Juan Carlos Ferrero in Scottsdale, was encouraged by his performance.

“The shoulder felt pretty good,” said Rafter, adding that his wariness in Scottsdale was due largely to the cold weather causing the shoulder to tighten up.

After winning the first set in 38 minutes, Rafter failed to take advantage of three break points in the opening game of the second set. He then had to fend off five break points against his own serve, four of them in the sixth game as the set went with serve to the tie-breaker.

Rafter netted a backhand volley on his first match point at 6-5 in the decider, saved a set point for Ondruska with an ace, then claimed the match with a blistering service return.

Rafter said he still can’t practice his serve as much as he did in the past, and he predicted it would be some time before he felt his old confidence on the court.

Carlos Moya, who hurt his back at the US Open and played just two tournaments in the rest of 1999, was less fortunate.

The Spaniard, who briefly claimed the world number one ranking when he reached the final here last year, fell to Aussie teenager Lleyton Hewitt –winner in Scottsdale on Sunday and the hottest player on the ATP tour this year.

Hewitt defeated Moya 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to take his win-loss record for the year to 21-1.

In other matches, unseeded Frenchman Fabrice Santoro ousted fourth-seeded German Nicolas Kiefer 6-1, 6-4.

Santoro won 16 of the first 17 points and remained unbeaten by the German in three meetings.

Fifth-seeded Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten defeated American Justin Gimelstob 7-5, 3-6, 6-3. Sixth seed Magnus Norman of Sweden downed Argentina’s Franco Squillari 6-3, 6-4, and 11th-seeded Briton Tim Henman followed compatriot Greg Rusedski into the second round with a 7-5, 6-2 win over Morocco’s Karim Alami.

In the women’s second seed Lindsay Davenport led the way into the semi-finals with a 6-2, 6-1 victory over sixth-seeded Spaniard Conchita Martinez.

She next faces Russian 18-year-old Elena Dementieva, who defeated Chanda Rubin 6-4, 6-1 in a battle of unseeded players.

Top seed and world number one Martina Hingis faces seventh-seed Monica Seles and third seed and defending champion Serena Williams plays fifth-seeded Mary Pierce of France in the remaining quarterfinals tonight.