Kafelnikov ousted

ROTTERDAM, MARCH 4: Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Goran Ivanisevic followed Swede Jonas Bjorkman out of the $725,000 Rotterdam World Indoor Tennis ...

ROTTERDAM, MARCH 4: Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Goran Ivanisevic followed Swede Jonas Bjorkman out of the $725,000 Rotterdam World Indoor Tennis tournament as the seeds tumbled in the first round yesterday. Fourth-seed Kafelnikov, who on Sunday won a tournament in London, lost 7-6 6-2 to Swede Thomas Johansson, whom he beat in straight sets the opening round in London.

In a baseline battle, Kafelnikov took a 5-2 lead in the first set after Johansson, ranked 34 in the world, hit three double faults to lose his service in the fourth game.

But the Swede broke back and eventually won the tie-break 7-5, when Kafelnikov double-faulted. Kafelnikov never got in the second against a consistent Johansson.

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In a thrilling three-setter, Ivanisevic lost a first round match to Dutchman Jan Siemerink for the third time this year this time 5-7, 7-6, 6-3. Siemerink had beaten Ivanisevic in the Australian Open and in Antwerp. Siemerink saved three break points in the third game of the third set and then broke his opponent inthe eighth to take the match.

Earlier, second seed Bjorkman lost 6-7, 6-3, 6-4 to Spaniard Tomas Carbonel, whose returns gave him the edge.