 |
| |
|
 |
 |
 |
Agassi qualifies for Masters Cup Posted: Wednesday September 25, 2002 9:17 AMLONDON (Reuters) -- U.S. Open runner-up Andre Agassi is the second player to qualify for season-ending Masters Cup in Shanghai, the ATP said on Wednesday. With just six weeks of the regular circuit remaining, the American joins world number one and defending champion Lleyton Hewitt in the elite eight-man field. In the closest ever Champions Race, just 55 points separate Marat Safin in third place from American Andy Roddick, who lies ninth in the standings. Having won two Tennis Masters Series events at the Nasdaq-100 Open in Miami and in Rome, Agassi effectively booked his ticket to Shanghai by reaching the U.S. Open final. The 32-year-old also won titles in Scottsdale and Los Angeles earlier in the year. During his career, Agassi has qualified for all three Masters Cups, seven ATP World Championships, two Masters and five Grand Slam Cups. Agassi won the Masters in 1990, finished runner-up in the ATP World Championship in 1999, and lost to Brazil's Gustavo Kuerten in the final of the inaugural Masters Cup in Lisbon two years ago. The $3.7 million event, jointly owned by the ATP, ITF and the grand slams, will feature the players who occupy the top seven slots in the ATP Champions Race. The eighth place will go to the highest-placed grand slam champion who finishes between eighth and 20th. French Open winner Albert Costa of Spain is locked in a three-way tie for fifth place. Pete Sampras, who beat Agassi in the U.S. Open final, moved into contention for Shanghai after surging from 32nd to 12th, while Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson lies 14th. The indoor event, which replaced the ATP World Championship and Grand Slam Cup in 2000, will be played on hardcourt from November 12-17.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
