Tennis: Kafelnikov off to winning start

Yevgeny Kafelnikov got his Masters Cup campaign off to a winning start after coming from a set down to defeat Spaniard Juan Carlos Ferrero in Sydney.

The fifth-seeded Russian lost the first set 6-4 but rallied impressively to take the second 6-1.

Ferrero, who is the fourth seed and lies one place above Kafelnikov in the ATP Champions Race, recovered in the third set but Kafelnikov held firm in a pulsating tie-breaker, taking the set 7-6 (7-5).

In today’s other match pits Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic, the number eight seed, beat French Open winner and current world number one Gustavo Kuerten 6-2 6-7 (2-7) 6-4.

Sydney Standings

Ken Rosewall Group

W L Sets w/l Games w/l

(8) G Ivanisevic (Cro) 1 0 2-1 18-13

(5) Y Kafelnikov (Rus) 1 0 2-1 17-13

(4) JC Ferrero (Spa) 0 1 1-2 13-17

(1) G Kuerten (Bra) 0 1 1-2 13-18

John Newcombe Group

W L Sets w/l Games W/l

(3) A Agassi (USA) 1 0 2-0 12-6

(2) L Hewitt (Aus) 1 0 2-1 15-11

(7) S Grosjean (Fra) 0 1 1-2 11-15

(6) P Rafter (Aus) 0 1 0-2 6-12