Safin loses at the first hurdle to Frenchman

Sydney: Newly crowned US Open champion Marat Safin, seeded number one, crashed out of the Olympic tennis tournament at the first hurdle on Wednesday, losing to Frenchman Fabrice Santoro in three sets at windy Olympic Park.

Safin, shock straight-sets winner over Pete Sampras in the US Open final 10 days ago, fell 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 to Santoro, who now has a 5-0 career record against him.

The 20-year-old Russian, arriving late in Sydney weary from a hectic travel schedule, could not have dreamed of a more threatening first-round opponent.

After his famous victory in New York, the world number two headed straight for Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to play in the President's Cup tournament, winning the final there on Sunday before racing to Sydney for the Games.

Faced with his nemesis first up at Olympic Park, Safin was again undone by the deceptive Frenchman, a master of disguise and change of pace.

Santoro, 27, reached match point when Safin sent an overhead shot long and then clinched the upset after his service return clipped the netcord. The Russian could do nothing but set up the Frenchman for an easy forehand passing shot.



(c) Reuters Limited.