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Seeds are set Agassi, Hingis top guns for Australian Open
Posted: Wednesday January 12, 2000 12:25 AM
MELBOURNE, Australia (Ticker) -- Andre Agassi of the United States and Martina Hingis of Switzerland are the top seeds for the Australian Open, the first major of the year which begins Sunday night. Agassi is trying to reach his fourth consecutive Grand Slam final while Hingis is bidding for her fourth straight Australian Open title. Agassi enjoyed a spectacular 1999 season in which he captured the French and U.S. Open titles and reached the final at Wimbledon. His victory at Roland Garros enabled him to become only the fifth player to capture all four Grand Slam tournaments. He regained the No. 1 ranking in the world, a perch he had not attained since 1996, and became the first player to reach three consecutive Grand Slam finals since Pete Sampras won the 1993 Wimbledon and U.S. Open championships and the 1994 Australian Open. Agassi's ATP Tour record was 63-13 Agassi is no stranger to Melbourne, having defeated Sampras in the 1995 Australian Open final. Defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia is seeded second, followed by Sampras, Nicolas Kiefer of Germany and 1997 French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil. Thomas Enqvist of Sweden is seeded sixth, followed by Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti, American Todd Martin, Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands, Tommy Haas of Germany and Tim Henman of Britain. Magnus Norman of Sweden, Cedric Pioline of France, Karol Kucera of Slovakia, Albert Costa of Spain and local favorite Mark Philippoussis round out the 16 seeded players. "This lineup is a statement that tennis is undoubtedly one of the true global sports," said Paul McNamee, Australian Open chief executive. "Aussies Mark Philippoussis and our 'floaters' led by Lleyton Hewitt are literally taking on the world." Hingis, Margaret Court, Steffi Graf and Monica Seles are the only women to capture three consecutive Australian Open titles and the 19-year-old Hingis hopes to erase bounce back from losses in the finals of the French and U.S. Opens. "The women's draw is exciting," McNamee said. "There will be many challenges to Martina as she attempts to become the first woman in the open era to claim four consecutive Australian Open singles titles." Hingis is followed by Americans Lindsay Davenport and Serena Williams and Frenchwomen Mary Pierce and Nathalie Tauziat. The top of the women's draw was reshuffled this week when Seles and Venus Williams were forced to withdraw due to injury. Pierce's lone Grand Slam title came here in 1995. "It's always disappointing to lose a sentimental favorite like Monica," McNamee said. "We wish Monica well for a full recovery and hope to see her out here next year." "I'm really sad to miss the first Grand Slam because I've been working really hard and I was really looking forward to playing," Venus Williams said. Barbara Schett of Austria is seeded sixth, followed by France's Amelie Mauresmo, South Africa's Amanda Coetzer and Julie Halard-Decugis, also of France. Conchita Martinez of Spain, Anna Kournikova of Russia, Sandrine Testud of France, Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario of Spain, Dominique Van Roost of Belgium, Anke Huber of Germany and Elena Likhovtseva of Russia are the other seeded players.
© 2003 SportsTicker Enterprises, LP
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