TENNIS AUSTRALIAN OPEN : Courier Loses His Temper, but Not Match Against Weiss

Jim Courier lost his composure along with four match points, but prevailed over Robbie Weiss in the second round at Melbourne.

“When I get screwed over, I tend to get a little upset,” Courier said after his 6-2, 7-5, 6-4 victory Wednesday. “It’s just that the match should have been over, and here I am playing a few more points. The balls were landing precariously close to the line, and I kept getting the wrong side of the calls.”

The defending champion went on a series of profane tirades against umpire Wayne McKewen. An obscene gesture drew a $1,000 fine.

Courier finally ended the match with a forehand winner Weiss couldn’t reach and the linesman couldn’t deny.

Meanwhile, ninth-seeded Richard Krajicek became another upset victim, losing to Todd Witsken, 6-4, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4.

In the women’s draw, defending champion Monica Seles posted a 6-2, 6-0 victory over Maria Strandlund; third-seeded Gabriela Sabatini defeated Natalia Baudone, 6-0, 6-1; sixth-seeded Conchita Martinez beat Monique Javer, 7-5, 6-1, and 10th-seeded Mary Pierce beat Kimiko Date, 6-1, 6-1.

Jennifer Capriati, suffering from fever and an upset stomach, withdrew from doubles competition but said she would make her singles match Thursday against Florencia Labat. Temperatures reached 129 degrees at courtside.