It’s All About Money for Victorious Kafelnikov

Yevgeny Kafelnikov plays golf. He follows golf. And despite $18 million in prize money, he knows he will never be paid like a golfer.

Sad, but true. But he isn’t asking for sympathy. If you tried to offer a few kind words, it’s doubtful the Russian would be able to hear them over the roar of his private jet.

On Thursday, the fifth-seeded Kafelnikov spoke out about prize money on the ATP tour after his scintillating comeback effort in the second round, defeating Nicolas Kiefer of Germany, 6-2, 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-0, in 3 hours 7 minutes at the Australian Open.

“All I can say to you, the money on the ATP is ridiculous compared to what other athletes are making,” said Kafelnikov, a finalist here last year. “I’ve been on the court for three hours, 10 minutes and when you look at the prize money check after the tournament is over, it’s quite ridiculous.”

The ATP’s response was to look at the numbers--$65.5 million in tour prize money, including about $3 million at each of the nine Masters Series events. Those figures don’t include the four Grand Slam events. Another official stated the obvious, in regard to Kafelnikov, saying: “He’s not exactly Tiger Woods.”

“If you look at the golfers--we are talking, of course, extreme example right now,” Kafelnikov said. “The golfers make $540,000 a week, which is to the winner. And this is the lowest tournament they have on the U.S. tour. If you look at the tennis players, to win a tournament, win five matches under absolutely lowest-level tournament, you make only $42,000. It is quite bizarre to see that kind of money in a tennis game.”

Kafelnikov asserted he was speaking on behalf of the other players. Call him Norma K. His outspoken nature has had him at odd with the ATP powers. CEO Mark Miles once told him he was the poster boy for the malaise in the game early last year. But American Jeff Tarango also made an argument in his column in an Australian newspaper--though slightly different--that the players should be making more money. His concerns were more with the Grand Slams.

Tennis may not be golf. And it certainly isn’t on a par with soccer in Europe.

“It depends where you’re coming from,” Kafelnikov said. “In Europe, tennis is huge, although in the United States and the rest of the parts of the world, it might be struggling.

“You know, tennis has been around for so many years, more than 100 years, it’s always going to be there.”

His comments were an interesting contrast to third-seeded Pete Sampras the day before. After surviving his second straight four-setter--this one a hard-fought 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5), 4-6, 7-5 victory against sometime nemesis Bohdan Ulihrach of the Czech Republic--Sampras talked about money.

Sampras has often missed out on his season-ending bonus pool money because he has not met the minimum playing requirement. Last season, he did not play all of the Masters Series events and said he wasn’t planning on participating in all nine, perhaps about five or six.

So, how much has he cost himself in his career?

“Honestly?” Sampras said.

He thought about it and did the math.

“Close to seven million or so,” he said. “I don’t know how accurate that is. You know, you get a bonus at the end of the year. I’ve only received it a couple of times because I didn’t play the tournaments.

“The years I was No. 1, I lost $1.2 [million] a year for quite a while.”

Small change, right?

“Well, for some people,” he said, smiling.

Sampras laughed when he was told that the media would pick up the check at dinner next time. He was pleased with his survival skills in the first round against Karol Kucera and against Ulihrach. In the third round, he will play Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina on Friday.

“These two guys I’ve played have made me work very hard, just playing at a very high level,” he said. “I’ve played six hours in the past couple days, so my body needs a day off.”

There are difficult days ahead for Sampras. Even before a possible quarterfinal match against defending champion Andre Agassi, Sampras could face Todd Martin in the fourth round. Agassi looked impressive against Paul Goldstein on Wednesday night, winning the second-round match, 6-1, 6-3, 6-1, in one hour 17 minutes. He finished superbly with only three unforced errors in the third set and 15 winners.

The sixth-seeded Agassi has lost 13 games in two matches, one fewer than another former No. 1 player, Carlos Moya of Spain. Moya, who has battled severe back problems, beat Marc Rosset of Switzerland in the second round, 6-2, 6-1, 6-3.

“My tennis right now is close to my highest level,” Moya said. “I know my ranking is much lower than it was but the level is the same. I feel comfortable. My fitness is great. Maybe if we wait a few months, I’ll be where I once was.”

In the third round, Moya will play seventh-seeded Lleyton Hewitt of Australia, who overcame a sore right hamstring and a 5-0 first-set deficit to defeat Tommy Haas of Germany, 7-5, 7-6 (5), 6-4, in 3 hours 3 minutes. Hewitt fought off two sets points in the first and two more in the second.

On the women’s side, the same sort of Agassi/Moya dominance is being displayed by top-seeded Martina Hingis of Switzerland. Hingis beat Els Callens of Belgium, 6-1, 6-0, in 40 minutes. Hingis has lost three games in two matches.

Third-seeded Venus Williams struggled in the second set but still won in straight sets, defeating Meghann Shaughnessy, 6-3, 7-6 (3). One seeded player lost on the women’s side, No. 16 Amy Frazier. Rita Grande of Italy took out Frazier, 6-4, 6-1, in the second round but it was not really a major surprise because Grande has never lost to Frazier in four matches.

U.S. Open semifinalist and ninth-seeded Elena Dementieva of Russia fought off match point in the 10th game of the second set, beating qualifier Andrea Glass of Germany, 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3.