Veterans, rookies form opening day’s draw

Miami, March 24: Carlos Moya, whose quest to come back from injury is a familiar story in tennis, easily advanced to the second round of t...

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Miami, March 24: Carlos Moya, whose quest to come back from injury is a familiar story in tennis, easily advanced to the second round of the Tennis Masters Series event here to set up a clash with another former world No 1, Pete Sampras.

The top 32 seeds in the men’s and women’s fields at the $ 5.725 million event have first round byes, leaving the first day of play open to battle-scared veterans and a handful of youngsters newly graduated from the junior ranks.

Moya subdued fellow Spaniard Juan Albert Viloca 6-4 6-2 in 54 minutes.

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His second victory in four matches this year gave him the opportunity to test himself on Saturday against second-seeded Sampras, a serious challenge even if the 12-time Grand Slam champion has battled injuries of his own and has yet to make much noise this year.

Another top 10 player who has plunged in the rankings, Croatian Goran Ivanisevic, dominated Germany’s David Prinosil 6-3 6-2.

South African Wayne Ferreira, another veteran trying to climb back up the rankings, downed Czech Martin Damm 4-6 6-1 6-4. Among the youngsters, Switzerland’s 1998 junior world champion Roger Federer defeated American Justin Gimelstob 7-5 6-3 and 19-year-old Swede Andreas Vinciguerra defeated Slovakian Karol Kucera 6-1 6-3.

But for the fans at Key Biscayne, the performance of the day came from American’s newest tennis find: Andy Roddick, 17 and winner of the Australian Open junior title in January, made the most of his second ATP Tour match with a 6-4 6-0 victory over Spaniard Fernando Vicente.

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Australian Jelena Dokic, who shocked Martina Hingis in the first round of Wimbledon last summer, advanced with a victory over Japan’s Nana Miyagi. Hingis’ pal Mirjana Lucic, the 18-year-old Croatian, hit an early roadblock, falling 7-6 (7-3) 6-2 to Anne Kremer.

Chang advances

MIAMI: Michael Chang and Juan Antonio Marin warmed up to Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days and although the lyrics describe someone whose best days are behind him, Chang reached back for a little of his own faded glory.

Chang ground out a 6-3 6-4 opening-round victory over Marin at the Ericsson Open, knocking out the man who ousted him in the first round last year and advancing to a second-round encounter with eighth-seeded Marcelo Rios.

While Chang prefers not to reminisce, he did remember that ignominious defeat to the unheralded Costa Rican, who went on to reach a career-high ranking of 55. He has won one ATP title. Chang has won 33 titles, but none since 1998. “When Carl (Chang) told me I was playing Marin, I thought he was kidding,” Chang said of a prematch discussion with his brother and coach. “I feel good I was able to turn it around.”

Rafter recalled

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SYDNEY: Former US Open champion Patrick Rafter was included in a seven-man Australian squad for next month’s Davis Cup quarter-final against Germany.

Rafter has not played Davis Cup in almost a year because of a shoulder problem. Australia’s non-playing captain John Newcombe said the serve and volleyer would not be considered for either of the two singles berths but could play doubles.

A final decision on the makeup of the Australian team will be made next week when the squad is cut to four players, Newcombe said.

Lleyton Hewitt and Mark Philippoussis are almost certain to be given the two singles spots which they occupied when Australia beat France in last year’s Davis Cup final.

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Rafter will be considered for the doubles along with Wayne Arthurs, Todd Woodbridge, Sandon Stolle and Mark Woodforde, who has come out of Davis Cup retirement to help the team.

Australia and Germany will meet in Adelaide from April 7-9 with the winner advancing to the World Group semi-finals against either Brazil or Slovakia.