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Much better Sampras turns it around with easy win
TORONTO (AP) -- Second-seeded Pete Sampras breezed into the quarterfinals of the $2.95 million Tennis Masters Series-Canada tournament with a convincing victory over Armenian Sargis Sargsian. The seven-time Wimbledon champion, who went to a third-set tiebreaker in his first-round match, barely worked up a sweat against Sargsian Thursday, winning 6-1, 6-2. Sargsian reached the third round by defeating Canadian Simon Larose on Wednesday, but he was no match for Sampras in the hour-long match. Coming to the net at will, Sampras needed just 32 minutes to capture the first set, delighting a sun-drenched capacity Center Court gathering at the National Tennis Center. And after Sampras won the first point of the second set at the net, volleying Sargsian's passing attempt into an open court, a frustrated Sargsian flung his racket in disgust. "It was nice to go out and play well and dominate early on," said Sampras. "Sargis is the type of player who will let you play and I was able to get into a good rhythm." Sampras was lacking rhythm and polish in his opening two matches. But the ATP Tour's career leader in Grand Slam tournament victories with 13 served notice Thursday that he is the man to beat here. "I just feel like everything is in place," said Sampras. "I've gone through some tough matches and I feel my game is starting to come around. "I really didn't expect to come here playing great from my first match on, but I got through it. It's the tougher matches that separate the top players from the rest, when you're not playing well to be able to get through those tough matches." Also advancing to the quarterfinals was 14th-seeded Patrick Rafter of Australia, a 6-4, 6-2 winner over unseeded Sebastien Lareau of Canada. Three more seeded players lost Thursday, bringing the total to 11, including seven of the top 10. Another, No. 9 Alex Corretj of Spain, withdrew prior to the tournament. An ankle injury forced No. 6 Thomas Enqvist of Sweden to retire in his third-round match against Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic while trailing 2-6, 6-1, 1-3. And fifth-seeded Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov defeated No. 12 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 6-1, 4-6, 6-4. France's Jerome Golmard continued in his role as giant-killer. Golmard, who upset top-seeded Andre Agassi in the first round, defeated Chile's Marcelo Rios, a former world No. 1, 2-6, 7-5, 7-5. After spending the first set on the baseline, Golmard became more aggressive in the second and third, coming to the net. That flustered Rios, who displayed his fiery temper by continually arguing close calls and throwing his racket when things didn't go his way. And when Rios netted the ball on match point, Golmard fell backward and thrust his arms into the air in celebration while lying on his back. "I needed to do something because if I continued (at the baseline) like that, I would've lost," Golmard said. "I took a racket with less tension (after the first set) and didn't have much control, but I went to the net quick, and that was good for me."
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