Mark Philippoussis was knocked out in the second round of the ATP Tour Sybase Open last night as Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt advanced.
Philippoussis, the two-time defending champion and third seed, was ousted by Juan Balcells of Spain, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/3). Philippoussis was playing his second tournament of the year after knee surgery.
Top-seeded Agassi, who is competing in his first event since defending his Australian Open title last month, cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland. Agassi, seeking his fifth title at San Jose, will meet Armenian Sargis Sargsian in the quarter-finals.
Hewitt, the second seed, outlasted Andrei Stoliarov of Russia, 6-2, 6-7 (8/10), 6-3, and will play eighth seed Greg Rusedski of Britain in the quarter-finals. The Australian is seeking his second title of the year after winning at Sydney last month.
Fourth-seeded Tommy Haas of Germany moved into the quarter-finals earlier on Thursday as he rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over 34-year-old Magnus Gustafsson of Sweden, the oldest player in the draw.
AFP