Speed courts claim four more seeds

Agassi beat Dutchman Sjeng Schalken 7-5 6-0 6-3 and Sampras followed in the main stadium with a 6-3 7-6 (6) 6-1 victory over Sweden’s Mikael Tillstrom.

Sampras said that with the large number of player complaints he was certain the courts would be returned to their previous speed in time for the 2001 Australian Open.

“The guys that are going to do well here are the ones who move well and certainly Andre (Agassi) who hits the ball early and flat is going to like the conditions,” he said.

While they advanced to third round today, No 8 Todd Martin and No 9 Richard Krajicek left the Agassi-Sampras half of the draw with gaping holes at the top, despite expectations that their big serves would give them an edge on the resurfaced courts.

Both mentioned health or injury problems, but Krajicek said the fast courts were helping even players whose serves usually aren’t considered dangerous.

Spain’s Fernando Vicente beat Martin 6-4 2-6 3-6 6-3 after the American blew a 5-2 lead in the fifth. Nicolas Escude, a 1998 semifinalist here, beat Krajicek, the 1996 Wimbledon champion, 2-6 6-3 6-2 6-3.

On the women’s side, 1999 finalist Amelie Mauresmo lost 6-4 6-4 to Switzerland’s Patty Schnyder, but her problem looked to be more the burden of expectations after she beat three of the World’s top five women in winning a warm-up event last week.

Another French player, No 5 Nathalie Tauziat, sprayed 38 unforced errors around the court in a 7-6 (3) 6-4 loss to Canadian qualifier Sonya Jeyaseelan.

Upsets update

Men: First round: 6-Thomas Enqvist (Swe), 5-Gustavo Kuerten (Bra), 13-Cedric Pioline (Fra), 14-Karol Kucera (Slo), 15-Albert Costa (Spa)

Second round: 8-Todd Martin (US), 9-Richard Krajicek (Neth)

Women: First round: 15-Anke Huber (Ger)

Second round: 5-Nathalie Tauziat (Fra); 7-Amelie Mauresmo (Fra)

Asian players update

Men: Leander Paes, Sripchaphan Paradorn lose
Women: Ai Sugiyama, Yi Jingqian win