Hewitt costs Kafelnikov No.1
By Australian Tennis Magazine Editor Paul Macpherson

Australians Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis have both shot down more fancied opponents in the second round of the Paris Indoor. Hewitt enjoyed a three-set win over motormouth Yevgeny Kafelnikov, while Philippoussis dumped world No.12 Richard Krajicek in straight sets despite serving just a modest seven aces.
Hewitt delighted in his 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Kafelnikov in a match which lasted two hours, 13 minutes. Hewitt took a dislike to the world No.2 during the recent Davis Cup Final in Brisbane when Kafelnikov vowed before the match that he would give Hewitt a lesson. The teenager responded by thrashing Kafelnikov in straight sets. But the Russian blamed everything, particularly the court surface, except himself for the loss, saying in defeat the Hewitt's game didn't impress him.

Today's match saw both players content to exchange long crosscourt rallies from the backhand side. Hewitt took an early advantage by claiming the first set, but Kafelnikov broke the 18-year-old twice in the second set. Hewitt's outstanding court coverage gave him a decided advantage in the third set, with his consistency enticing Kafelnikov into error. Hewitt's victory ensured that Kafelnikov would not end the season as the year-end No.1.

Mark Philippoussis scored an extremely important victory over the in-form Krajicek, who last week reached the Stuttgart final. The Scud had been in disappointing form since returning from a lengthy injury lay-off, and was running out of tournaments to regain confidence before the Davis Cup Final in Nice from December 3-5. And in a positive sign, it wasn't just the Philippoussis serve which wore down Krajicek. The Australian served just seven aces, with his powerful groundstrokes more significant in the victory. Philippoussis now meets 10th seed Tim Henman.

In two major upsets, Michael Chang, who needed to win through qualifying, surprised Marcelo Rios with a 7-5, 6-2 win. And Jim Courier continued Carlos Moya's slide down the rankings, thumping the Spaniard 6-2, 6-1.

Paris Singles Results

A.Costa d. -6-Rusedski 76(7) ret. Haas d. Koubek 63 62 Rosset d. -12-Corretja 75 63 Hewitt d. -2-Kafelnikov 64 26 64 Philippoussis d. -8-Krajicek 75 63 -10-Henman d. -LL-Ferrero 46 76(7) 64 Courier d. -14-Moya 62 61 -Q-Chang d. -9-Rios 75 62


Doubles Results


-WC-Escude/Raoux d. -WC-Kuerten/Lapentti 16 10 ret. W. Ferreira/Kafelnikov d. -7-Delaitre/Santoro 64 63



HUGE DAY AT INDOOR - SAMPRAS OUT - AUSSIES SCORE BIG

CROSS COURT.COM
4 November, 1999 , PARIS , Bercy


It's been quite a day at the Paris Indoor. Sampras withdrew. Agassi clinched the year-end number one ranking. Hewitt and Philippoussis scored upsets.

Pete Sampras survived three matches points to beat Francisco Clavet when he played his first match since 20 August. The American has been off the Tour since then with a herniated disc and it forced him to miss the U.S. Open. But after getting past the Spaniard a day ago, Sampras pulled up short with another back problem, this time spasms, and he withdrew from the Paris Indoor.

"It was in the middle of the second set that I started feeling my left side getting tight," said Sampras. "I continued to play, but I just felt it getting worse and worse. By the end of the third set I was in complete spasm.

"I ended up winning the match, walked off the court. Immediately when I iced down and got to my hotel room, I had a hard time getting around my room. This morning there was absolutely no chance of me practicing or playing. It's so tight, my flexibility is pretty much not there."

Sampras' withdrawal throws major doubt on whether he will be able to play the season-ending ATP Tour World Championship in Hannover later this month. He will make a decision later. Sampras is the only player to have played in every one of championships in the 1990's.

Lleyton Hewitt has played wonderful tennis to dump second seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 and in doing so proven yet again, especially to the Russian, that his win over him at the Davis Cup was no fluke, when Kafelnikov said he was not impressed with the Australian's game.

At the time Kafelnikov said he would like to play Hewitt in a regular, bit, indoor tournament. He got his chance and failed again and in doing so lost any chance of ending the year number one.

"I didn't see it as a grudge match," said Hewitt. "I went out there and tried to forget that I was playing Yevgeny Kafelnikov and all the talk that was spoken up in Brisbane (Davis Cup)," said Hewitt. "I went out there to try to do a job against the world number two. I knew I had it up against me. I'm just thrilled to sort of get through and I beat him again on a hard court. I think it's an even bigger victory for me."

Hewitt, who controlled his emotions superbly, added that he felt he had "taken a big step for the future" with this match and it will mean be a huge bonus for his world ranking. He said this match was the best he had hit the ball and the third set in particular was "the best set of tennis I've competed in. It was just fantastic to be out there playing in such a high-standard match".

The upset allowed Andre Agassi to clinch the year-end number one ranking. The top seeded American would very much to now win the Paris double having won the French Open in June.

Mark Philippoussis was also very impressive with his game in a battle of the big servers beating Richard Krajicek the eighth seed in straight sets 7-5, 6-3. The Australian declared it as "definitely the best I've played since I've been injured". He said that times he felt he was played as well as he did at Wimbledon before retiring with the left knee injury against Sampras in the quarterfinals.

And after some weeks of not wanting to talk about the Davis Cup final against France, Philippoussis has publically indicated that he is looking forward to it.

"We're (Hewitt) sort of thinking about Davis Cup, obviously that came to mid when I was playing Escude in the first round," said Philippoussis. "I've got this week and next week, then a couple of weeks to think about Davis Cup. I've got two more tournaments to go plus Davis Cup (till end of the year). I'm feeling strong. I'm very fresh. I'm looking forward to concentrating extremely well and doing something positive this week."

In other results, Greg Rusedski the defending champion also pulled out with a right hamstring injury. Rusedski was playing Albert Costa who had won the first set 7-6. There were wins for Marc Rosset who upset 12th seed Alex Corretja and Jim Courier overwhelmed Carlos Moya the 14th seed, 6-2, 6-1. Tim Henman and Tommy Haas both advanced. Henman plays Philippoussis next,

In women's action, in Leipzeg at the Sparkassen Cup, fifth seed Anna Kournikova continues to progress, she beat Anne Kremer 7-5, 6-4 and second seed Nathalie Tauziat beat Nadezda Petrova 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Sandrine Testud stopped Patty Schnyder 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 and qualifier Sandra Kleinova beat wild card Jelena Dokic 6-4, 7-5. Fourth seed Dominique van Roost was upset by Anne-Galle Sidot.

At the Bell Challenge in Quebec, Nicole Pratt has scored a 6-3, 7-6 won over Emmanuelle Gagliardi of Switzerland and Jennifer Capriati has beaten Jane Chi 6-1, 6-4.