Kuerten says Agassi has already won race for No.1

Ossian Shine

Gustavo Kuerten, last year's top player, won the first major clay court tournament of 2001 in Monte Carlo on Sunday but says he has no chance of beating Andre Agassi to the end-of-year number one spot.

Kuerten moved up to second in the Champions Race on Monday. The Champions Race includes only tournaments played this year.

The Brazilian, who pipped Russia's Marat Safin to win the race last year, won 100 points in Monte Carlo to move up from 11th position to second. But with 219 points he still trails Agassi, who missed Monte Carlo through injury, by 206 points.

"It is true that I won in Monaco and that I'm going to win tournaments here and there," the French Open champion said after beating Hicham Arazi to win his 13th career title.

"But to me the Champions Race is already decided.

"Sure, I feel really good about my game but Andre Agassi plays close to perfection. He does the sort of things that only he and Pete (Sampras) can do.

"I can't see me or any of the other guys catching him and challenging for top spot."

Agassi won the Australian Open at the start of the year and then the first two Masters events of the year in Indian Wells and Miami to open up the lead.

Arazi, who was on the wrong end of Kuerten's groundstrokes in the Monte Carlo final, suggested the Brazilian had a chance of catching Agassi.

"I have never seen a player who has impressed me as much as he did -- except perhaps Thomas Muster at his best," the gifted Moroccan said.

"I have played against Agassi on a hard court which is his preferred surface. He is more or less as dominant on hard court as Guga (Kuerten) is on clay.

"But Kuerten has more class and ease around the court.

"It is amazing, you get the impression that the ball slows down for him. He always seems to be in the right place whereas I am running miles and miles."