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Wednesday, 8 May, 2002, 18:29 GMT 19:29 UK
Hewitt and Ferrero crash out
Ferrero won on clay in Monte Carlo last month
Top seed Lleyton Hewitt and defending champion Juan Carlos Ferrero were both knocked out in the second round of the Rome Tennis Masters. World number one Hewitt was dumped out in straight sets by former French Open champion Carlos Moya. Spaniard Moya, who also beat Hewitt in the first round of the last Masters Series event in Monte Carlo, was a 6-3 6-2 winner. During the match, Hewitt lost his temper with Brazilian umpire Carlos Bernardes midway through the second set after a disputed line call, and was eventually docked a point for throwing a ball in the official's direction.
The trouble started when Moya, leading 3-1 in the second set, hit a shot that was called long but which Hewitt felt had been good. Hewitt scrubbed the ball mark away with his foot to indicate that the call was wrong but was amazed when Bernardes awarded the point to Moya instead of asking for the point to be replayed. "In my opinion it's pretty average to play a let," said Hewitt who was initially given a warning for his protestations. "I'd say 99 percent of the time in that situation you play a let. I argued that and I thought I was within my rights to argue that." In the next game Hewitt tossed a ball he thought had gone soft towards Bernardes, striking him on the foot, an act which lost him a point for unsportsmanlike conduct. "I wanted him to check the ball," said Hewitt. "I didn't say anything to him before I threw the ball and he took that as being in anger against him." Third seed Ferrero, who won the Monte Carlo event, went down 7-5 6-2 to Croat Ivan Ljubicic. And second seed Gustavo Kuerten, who returned to action last week after hip surgery, was ousted by Spaniard Albert Montanes, 6-4 3-6 6-1. Kuerten said the match would have no bearing on his performance at the French Open, saying: "I am taking it slowly but I am definitely going to be better in the French."
Andy Roddick overcame the surprise loss of the first set to defeat Romanian Andrei Pavel and move into the third round. Roddick, who won the US Claycourt Championships two weeks ago, eventually prevailed 1-6 6-4 6-3 against an opponent who put up stubborn resistance. Roddick said he was satisfied with the win but was downbeat about his chances of securing his first Masters Series title in Rome. "My ambitions and expectations were to get through the first two rounds, so we'll see," he said. "I just want to stay healthy and play well and maybe try to win tomorrow." Kafelnikov beaten again Roddick next faces experienced South African Waye Ferreira, who beat out-of-form Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov 6-4 4-6 6-2. Kafelnikov, the world number four, arrived in Rome having not won an ATP match since March and advanced to the second round when his opponent retired injured. Meanwhile ninth seed Andre Agassi blasted past helpless Swiss Michel Kratochvil for the loss of just one game in an amazing 43 minutes.
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