Agassi Hopes to Take Care of Unfinished Business

INDIAN WELLS —  The desert curse lifted off Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi long enough Monday for Sampras to break his three-match losing streak--his longest since 1997--and for Agassi to avenge last year’s first-round loss to Hicham Arazi of Morocco.

For all of Agassi’s accomplishments, he has never won at Indian Wells, reaching the finals twice. In fact, tournament director Charlie Pasarell recently ran into Agassi’s father, Mike, in Las Vegas and reminded him that his son had to win this event before he finished his career.

“That’s ideal. You want to win everything,” Agassi said. “Ultimately you want to play your best. This is a week that I’ve always expected myself to play well here. I grew up on the hard courts, grew up in the desert. This seems like it’s a place I should be pretty familiar with. But I have to go out there and prove that.”

So, he’s not thinking much about the past.

“I can still control the future, so that’s what I’m focused on,” he said.

Out of his control, obviously, are the erratic moods on Wall Street.

“Dow down 435, NASDAQ down 140,” Agassi said.

His market report was nearly as impressive as his clear-cut victory. (For the record, the Dow was down 436.37 points, NASDAQ 129.37).

Sampras, who had 17 aces, defeated David Prinosil of Germany, 6-4, 6-4, in the first round of the Tennis Master Series event and, in the night match, Agassi defeated Arazi, 6-3, 6-2. The path was not nearly as easy for defending champion Alex Corretja of Spain, who eliminated Gaston Gaudio of Argentina, 3-6, 7-6 (2), 7-6 (4).

In women’s fourth-round action, the top three seeded players--Martina Hingis of Switzerland, defending champion Lindsay Davenport and Venus Williams--all advanced in straight sets. In the women’s quarterfinals, Davenport will play Serena Williams on Wednesday, a rematch of their quarterfinal at the U.S. Open, a 6-4, 6-2 Davenport victory.

“I’m definitely going to be better prepared. You learn from the first time when going into it again,” said Williams, who defeated Maggie Maleeva, 6-3, 6-2, on Monday.

“I always learn from my mistakes, but I don’t think I played to my potential last time. We’ll see. It should be a good match.”

Two Russian teenagers, Elena Dementieva and Elena Bovina, also reached the quarterfinals. Dementieva played her friend and countrywoman Lina Krasnoroutskaya, who retired because of an injured right ankle after losing the first set, 6-3. Bovina, who turned 18 last week, defeated Nathalie Dechy of France, 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. Bovina, who will play Kim Clijsters of Belgium today, spent more than an hour doing interviews and seemed to be enjoying herself.

“I just like America,” she said, beaming. “It’s one of my favorite countries. I kept hearing, ‘U.S. is so great.’ I said, ‘I should check it out.’ ”

Bovina is an avid reader and told stories about reading Russian detective novels.

“I was reading the books on the changeovers during practice. I liked the book so much, I couldn’t wait,” she said. “I was so unhappy when there were no more books.”

Dementieva is 19, but, compared to Bovina, she is a veteran of the tour, having reached the U.S. Open semifinals last year and winning a silver medal at the Olympics. She will play Venus Williams in the quarterfinals on Wednesday and is hardly unsettled by that prospect.

“If we will play, if I play 100 [percent] and she will play 100, I will beat her for sure,” she said. “I’m stronger inside . . . she’s just stronger.”

Williams beat Dementieva in the gold medal match at the Olympics and noticed the Russian youngster was quite nervous.

“She won all her matches because she’s stronger physically,” Dementieva said. “Now she plays a lot better than last year. She has a lot of different shots. If you see last year, she played like she has a great serve and forehand and that’s all.

“I don’t know. There’s nothing special. I mean, she’s a girl like me.”

The Williams aura and presence is intimidating, Dementieva said, for other players on the tour.

“I think so. I think she won a lot of matches before somebody comes on the court,” she said. “That’s for sure.”

So, is she intimidated?

“No, I’m not,” Dementieva said.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

The Facts

* WHEN--Women’s play continues today, with the final Saturday; men continue today, with the final Sunday.

* FEATURED MATCHES--10 a.m.: Gustavo Kuerten vs. Cecil Mamiit, Patrick Rafter vs. Greg Rusedski, Marat Safin vs. Thomas Johansson. 6 p.m.: Martina Hingis vs. Silvia Farina followed by Magnus Norman vs. Nicolas Lapentti.

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