FORMER champions Pete Sampras, Boris Becker and Goran Ivanisevic led a continuing mass exodus of favourites from the $2.5 million Paris Indoor Open yesterday.
World number one Sampras, a winner 12 months ago, went down lamely in straight sets to Switzerland's Marc Rosset in just 75 minutes. Rosset, who was a finalist to Andre Agassi here in, 1994, thumped down a score of aces to overwhelm the American who was clearly having an off- day. The Swiss player now faces Spain's 16th seed Felix Manlilla for a place in the quarter-finals.
Earlier Boris Becker who triumphed in Stuttgart last weekend, was upset by the undisciplined and noisy crowd and crashed 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to 20 year old Spaniard Carlos Moya.
The sixth seeded German protested about the behaviour of the spectators and described the atmosphere inside the grass walled Bercy Stadium as "a mad house". He was also upset by the inadequate changing rooms and a giant television screen courtside which distracted him.
Moya, who beat Britain's Tim Henman in the opening round, now faces either 12th seed Thomas Enqvist of Sweden or Richey Reneberg of the United States.
Goran Ivanisevic, who won in 1993, suffered a recurring nightmare when he crashed at the first hurdle for the second year running, and to the same player
Paul Haarbuis. The fifth seeded Croatian, who has already qualified for the ATP Championship finals in Hannover, hardly put up a fight and his Dutch opponent raced to a 6-3, 6-2 win.
Haarhuis, who chalked up his victory in just 54 minutes, now takes on Todd Martin of the United States.
Organisers and sponsors, already reeling from the loss of so many of the tournament's top names, were rocked still further when third seed Thomas Muster, complaining of a recurring hip injury, was also forced to quit.
Muster, who also had to pull out of his opening match at Stuttgart last week, decided to scratch after dropping the first 26 minute set to Stefan Edberg. "This injury has been with me since Hong Kong in April and it's not getting any better, that's for sure," said Muster.
Edberg, 30, has announced that he will retire after Sweden's Davis Cup final against France next month. He now plays Dutch qualifier Fernon Wibier for a place in the last eight and must fancy his chances of repeating his 1990 success in the event.
Three other seeds - Andre Agassi, Jim Courier and Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek - all went out on Tuesday, while in yesterday's other match, Wimbledon runner up and 13th seed MaliVai Washington of the United States beat Czech player Martin Damm 6-4, 6-2.
