Berasategui, Finalist in 1994, Makes Early Exit With Loss to Medvedev

It wasn’t an upset to some, but 11th-seeded Alberto Berasategui, a French Open finalist last year, lost Friday to Andrei Medvedev, 3-6, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, 6-3.

The Spanish clay-court specialist showed signs of vulnerability before coming here, with a lackluster clay season as preparation. Add to that Medvedev’s talent for unpredictability, and the third-round match could have gone to either.

The Ukrainian fought off Berasategui in the crucial fourth set. Berasategui had a 4-3 lead and was ahead, 15-40, on Medvedev’s serve. Medvedev won, he said, with luck.

“He was in control, he was in the driving seat, and I was running like a dog trying to get his forehands,” he said. “I am lucky I am sitting here and smiling because I was basically one point away from defeat.”

The losses of Berasategui and eighth-seeded Wayne Ferreira on Friday open the top half of the draw for Andre Agassi. Ferreira, of South Africa, fell to Alex Corretja of Spain, 6-4, 7-5, 6-2.

Agassi is on pace to play Corretja or ninth-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the quarterfinals. Kafelnikov advanced over David Wheaton, 6-2, 6-1, 4-6, 6-3.

But first Agassi must get past unseeded and unheralded Younes El Aynaoui of Morocco, who defeated the equally obscure Andrew Ilie of Australia, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2. The victory made him the most successful Moroccan at the French Open.

El Aynaoui, a qualifier, is ranked No. 224 in the world but appeared nonplussed about facing the No. 1 player.

“If I win, it is a historic moment,” he said. “But if I lose, it is also a historic moment. I prefer to win.”