Sampras Takes the Heat, but Kuerten Takes Early Exit

The slacker with the orange cap turned backward and two-handed backhand was not supposed to hold Pete Sampras hostage for more than three hours and five sets in the third round.

This wasn’t supposed to be Juan Ignacio Chela’s time. Baseliners from South America don’t usually make Sampras’ life miserable for another few months, not until the spring season on clay and rarely take such a prominent role until the French Open.

No matter. Chela arrived one Grand Slam tournament early and came close to creating the second major upset in less than a day at the Australian Open. Still, the third-seeded Sampras held his nerve under difficult conditions in close to 100-degree temperatures today, beating Chela, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2, in three hours eight minutes.

After four relatively cool days, the hot weather arrived in time for the third round. It took its toll on Sampras and the 21-year-old Argentine and eliminated an obstacle for sixth-seeded Andre Agassi.

Agassi, who could meet Sampras in the quarterfinals, took the court after Sampras defeated Chela and immediately appeared in trouble against David Prinosil of Germany. In the first-set tiebreaker, Agassi fought off six set points and prevailed, 13-11. A deflated Prinosil lost the first five games of the second set and retired because of heat exhaustion after requiring medical attention from a trainer.

Heat was not the reason for the early departure of top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil, who exited late Thursday night. In a classic battle, a resurgent Greg Rusedski of Great Britain eliminated Kuerten, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 2-6, 9-7, in two hours 44 minutes.

Kuerten, who had a match point in the 12th game of the fifth set, has never gone past the second round of the Australian Open in five trips here. The match point came on Rusedski’s serve but he survived when Kuerten netted a return.

“One point only,” Kuerten said. “One point . . . “

It was only the fourth time the top-seeded player lost in the second round of the Australian Open. But Kuerten has trouble against hard-serving left-handers, losing to Wayne Arthurs of Australia in the first round of the U.S. Open last year.

And Rusedski, who has retooled his game under new coach, Pat Cash, is a former top player and has been in pressure situations, reaching the final of the 1997 U.S. Open.

His effort was extraordinary but even Rusedski could not have predicted this outcome.

“I wasn’t expecting to go out there and win tonight because he has been playing so well,” Rusedski said. “Last year was such a difficult year, so many things happened to me, I didn’t let it [bad calls] bother me. I kept my head--that’s probably what won me the match.”

The same could be said for Sampras.

“I expected a tough match and there’s no question that I got one,” Sampras said. “It was definitely tough conditions. It was warm today. I felt like things were in control 6-3, 2-0 and I got a little bit careless. Let him back in the match. You can’t afford to do that.

“He got some confidence, some momentum over the next couple of sets. From that point, I just had to fight real hard to get back into the fifth. We were both feeling it in the fifth, but I can only kick myself for letting my game slip.”

In the next round, Sampras will play Todd Martin, who upset No. 13 Cedric Pioline of France, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Martin will offer a different test for Sampras. Agassi will meet Australian Andrew Ilie in another fourth-round match.

“It’s not like I’m another Juan Ignacio Chela,”’ Martin said. “I’m not going to keep him out there for another three, four hours. We’ll go for it.”

Martin and Sampras weighed in on Yevgeny Kafelnikov’s contention that the players aren’t making enough money.

“I didn’t hear his comments,” Martin said. “I try not to take notice of his comments. I’m happy he put forth better than 80% effort yesterday.”

Said Sampras: “I think we’re all overpaid. I don’t play for the prize money. I play for the titles. Yevgeny plays every week, so you know what he likes.”

And Agassi had the best line of the day, saying: “He should take his prize money and buy some perspective.”