Pete Sampras showed he doesn't intend to make early exits a habit, downing David Prinosil in straight sets today to reach the second round of the Tennis Masters Series.
Sampras came into the first of 2001's prestigious Masters Series events having lost his opening matches in Memphis, Tennessee, and Scottsdale, Arizona -- defeats that stretched his losing streak to three including a fourth-round exit at the Australian Open.
Fourth seed Andre Agassi, the leader in the ATP champions race, was due to launch his campaign on tonight against Moroccan Hicham Arazi -- the same player who bounced him out of the first round here last year.
Agassi comes into the tournament having successfully defended his Australian Open title in Janaury and finishing runner-up to Greg Rusedski in San Jose.
But like Sampras he lost in the first round at Scottsdale last week. - AFP