|
 |   |
|
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
Kuerten opens on history For 1st time, a Brazilian is seeded No. 1 at major
Updated: Thursday January 11, 2001 12:08 PM
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - Australian Open organizers made Gustavo Kuerten the first Brazilian to be top-seeded at a Grand Slam tournament. Kuerten earned the seeding announced Thursday by finishing 2000 as the world's No. 1-ranked player. The only other South American to be seeded No. 1 at a major tournament since 1969 was Argentine Guillermo Vilas, who was top-seeded at the Australian Open from 1977 to 1981. The tournament begins Monday with Marat Safin seeded second and two-time champion Pete Sampras third. Magnus Norman is fourth, Yevgeny Kafelnikov fifth and defending titlist Andre Agassi is the No. 6 seed. Australian Lleyton Hewitt is seventh. On the women's side, three-time champion Martina Hingis is seeded No. 1 for the third time. Defending champion Lindsay Davenport is the No. 2 seed and Venus Williams, bidding for her third consecutive Grand Slam crown after winning the winning singles at titles at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open last year, is third. Monica Seles is seeded fourth.
| ||||||||||||||||||||
