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Tough draw Davenport faces Dokic in Australian Open first round
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) -- The computer that determined the Australian Open draw Friday did American Lindsay Davenport no favors. The defending champion must open against Jelena Dokic, a semifinalist last year at Wimbledon and the Sydney Olympics. Dokic, a 17-year-old Australian, is ranked 24th. "That's tough for both players," tournament director Paul McNamee said. "Really rugged. There's a lot of appeal in that match." The year's first Grand Slam tournament starts Monday. The men's side includes a potential blockbuster in the quarterfinals between sixth-seeded defending champion Andre Agassi and third-seeded Pete Sampras. Each is trying for his third Australian Open title. "That's an unbelievable potential quarterfinal matchup," McNamee said. Sampras drew a tough opening match against Slovakian Karol Kucera. Agassi could face dangerous Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in the fourth round. Gustavo Kuerten, the first Brazilian to be seeded No. 1 at a Grand Slam tournament, will play Argentine Gaston Gaudio in the opening round. 1997 runner-up Carlos Moya will open against former No. 1 Marcelo Rios and Jan-Michael Gambill will face Chris Woodruff in an all-American matchup. Martina Hingis, the top-seeded woman and a three-time champion, will open against Katalin Marosi-Aracama of Hungary. Hingis faces a potential quarterfinal rematch against sixth-seeded Serena Williams. Hingis beat Williams in the quarterfinals at Sydney on Thursday, 6-4, 7-5. No. 3-seeded Venus Williams, bidding for her third consecutive Grand Slam tournament title, will play a qualifier in the opening round. Her quarterfinal opponent could be No. 7 Mary Pierce, the 1995 champion, and she could face her sister or Hingis in the semifinals. Other possible women's quarterfinals include No. 2 Davenport against No. 8 Anna Kournikova, and No. 4 Monica Seles against No. 5 Conchita Martinez. Possible men's quarterfinals include Kuerten against No. 5 Yevgeny Kafelnikov, the 1999 champion; No. 2 Marat Safin against No. 8 Tim Henman of England; and No. 4 Magnus Norman against No. 7 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia.
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