LYON, 8 November - Australian Mark Philippoussis ousted recent Stuttgart Masters champion Wayne Ferreira in the first round round of the Tennis Grand Prix in Lyon on Wednesday.
The sixth-seeded Melbourne native nearly let the match slip away as he lost the second set 12-10 in a tense tiebreak, but regrouped to take the match 63 67[10] 63 in what may be regarded as somewhat of an upset, considering Ferreira's recent form.
Although unseeded this week, the South African is in fact ranked higher than Philippoussis [No.11 to Philippoussis's No.14] by virtue of his brilliant win in Stuttgart, outlasting Lleyton Hewitt in a five-set, four-hour marathon.
In the second round, Philippoussis meets Hicham Arazi, the talented Moroccan who won a thrilling first round encounter at the 1998 Australian Open 9-7 in the fifth set.
Philippoussis, however, owns a 2-1 head-to-head record against Arazi, having won their most recent meeting in the third round of this year's French Open.
Eighth seed Patrick Rafter moved into the final eight on Wednesday with a 76[4] 62 win over another Moroccan, Australian Open 2000 quarterfinalist Younes El Aynaoui.
Top seed Gustavo Kuerten, a 75 76[4] winner over French wildcard Michael Llodra on Wednesday, is Rafter's quarterfinal opponent.