Arazi knocks out idol Agassi

STUTTGART, OCTOBER 18: SEVEN-TIME Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi returned to court a month after his last match and promptly left it quickly, absorbing a 7-6 (7/4) 7-5 second-round defeat against Hicham Arazi at the $ 2.95-million masters series last night.

The 31-year-old American was unable to do damage to the stylish North African’s smooth game on the carpet, going out in an opening encounter for the second time in succession this autumn.

The unknown knocked the air out of his childhood tennis idol while playing in only his fourth professional event. The experienced Arazi was a totally different case as he beat the American, second-placed in the champions points race behind Gustavo Kuerten for the second time in his career against two losses.

Agassi owns 12 Masters Series titles — most of any player — including two this year at Indian Wells and Miami. The defeat threw away a chance for Agassi to begin closing a 72-point gap on Kuerten, who was beaten in his opener by Max Mirnyi of Belarus on Tuesday.

Pete Sampras played his first match since a US Open finals loss to Lleyton Hewitt and emerged with a win over Austria’s Stefan Koubek 6-3, 7-6 (7/5). Swede Thomas Enqvist clocked an upset as he stopped fourth seed Juan Carlos ferrero 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), denying the Spaniard definitive qualification — at least this week — for the Sydney field. (Agencies)