MELBOURNE, Australia -- The draw for the Australian Open has
a distinctly American flavor.
Defending champion Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras were drawn
Friday in the same quarter as young guns Andy Roddick and
Jan-Michael Gambill, along with former U.S. Open champion Marat
Safin of Russia. Current No. 1 and top seed Lleyton Hewitt is
in the same half.
"That's a very tough section. The great Americans are there
with Agassi and Sampras, and the future with Roddick and Gambill,"
said tournament director Paul McNamee. "Then there's Safin as
well."
Former women's No. 1 Martina Hingis is confronted by a
formidable American barrier.
The 21-year-old Swiss player has to beat No. 2 Venus Williams,
the reigning Wimbledon and U.S. Open champion, her sister Serena
and then top-seeded Jennifer Capriati, the defending champion, to
clinch another Grand Slam title.
Hingis, who won consecutive Australian Opens from 1997-99 and
figured in the 2000 and 2001 finals, overcame both Williams sisters
last year before losing to Capriati in the final. It was Capriati's
first Grand Slam title.
Hingis has not won a major since her last win Down Under in
1999.
Australian and French Open champion Capriati is in the easier
side of the women's draw and will open against Silvija Talaja of
Croatia, with a possible quarterfinal against seventh-seeded Amelie
Mauresmo of France.
Capriati should meet one of Belgian pair Kim Clijsters and
Justine Henin, the fourth- and sixth-seeded players, respectively,
in the semifinals.
Third-seeded Hingis starts off against France's Viginie Razzano,
but has a possible quarterfinal against Serena Williams and a
semifinal against Venus Williams.
Venus Williams starts against a qualifier and should face little
problem until a possible quarterfinal against former world No. 1
Monica Seles. Serena Williams, the fifth-seeded player, opens
against Spaniard Conchita Martinez.
Hewitt, sidelined with chickenpox since the Hopman Cup, will
have to beat Agassi or Sampras, the holder of 13 Grand Slam titles,
just to reach the men's final.
Agassi and Sampras could meet in a quarterfinal, but first face
possible fourth-round clashes against big-serving Roddick and
former world No. 1 Safin.
Third-seeded Agassi plays a qualifier in the first round.
Sampras, seeded eighth this year and without a Grand Slam title
since Wimbledon in 2000, takes on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in his
opener.
Hewitt, battling to recover after his illness, also must
negotiate the top-heavy first half and plays tough Spaniard Alberto
Martin first.
The 20-year-old Hewitt is hoping to become the first homegrown
Australian Open winner since 1976. He faces a possible quarterfinal
against either Roger Federer or Tommy Haas.
McNamee said Hewitt has been practicing privately at Melbourne
Park in recent days.
"He's not been at full pace because that's medically the right
thing to do," McNamee said. "You can't expect him to be at his
absolute best in the early rounds. He'll be hoping to get through
and get stronger as the tournament goes on."
Former world No.1 Marcelo Rios is in the same quarter of the
draw as Hewitt.
In the bottom half, 1999 champion and fourth-seeded Yevgeny
Kefelnikov of Russia faces a possible quarterfinal against
fifth-seeded Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean, while second-seeded
Gustavo Kuerten will open against Julien Boutter of France.
Kuerten's probable quarterfinals opponent is Briton Tim Henman,
seeded sixth.
Australia's Mark Philippoussis is also in the bottom half along
with Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, adding some firepower to
it.
Among the tough opening women's matches, Anna Kournikova takes
on Henin and Seles plays Patty Schnyder.
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