Agassi outclasses Rafter in Masters

Third seed Andre Agassi produced a signature performance to outclass Wimbledon finalist Pat Rafter 6-2, 6-4 on the first day of the Masters Cup on Monday.

The Australian Open champion dominated all facets of the game to beat a rusty and error-prone Rafter in just 73 minutes on the opening night of the elite eight-man, season-ending tournament.

Rafter, who has played only fitfully since the U.S. Open in August and is nearing a possible retirement from tennis, said before the tournament that Agassi's game is so complete that he can embarrass any player on the circuit on his day.

The first day of the $3.7 million Masters was indeed Agassi's, even though twice U.S. Open winner Rafter grabbed an early break of service in the first set.

The 31-year-old American responded with three breaks of his own and the small crowd at Home Bush Bay's SuperDome cheered wryly when Rafter managed to hold his first service game of the second set.

Rafter had spent the past two weeks training and working on a lingering shoulder problem and was probably too short of match practice to compete with Agassi, whose devastating return of serve was working at its best.

WHISTLING FOREHAND

Agassi used his return to break Rafter to love in the third game of the second set, whistling a forehand return and then a backhand past the Australian on the last two points.

Rafter responded by breaking Agassi to love in the next game after several uncharacteristic errors by the American.

A revitalised Rafter then held his serve and threatened to break Agassi again.

The pair fought grimly over the next four games, Agassi gradually wearing Rafter down with a barrage of groundstrokes.

Agassi regained complete control in the ninth game of the second set, setting up two break points when he stretched for a devastating crosscourt forehand on the run.

Rafter then lamely handed Agassi the decisive break of service with a double fault.

Agassi and Australian Lleyton Hewitt are the only two players in the season-ending tournament with a chance of toppling Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten in the Champions' Race and claiming the top spot in men's tennis.

Hewitt, who beat Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean 3-6, 6-2, 6-3 in the opening match of the John Newcombe Group round robin stage, is 48 points behind Kuerten and Agassi is another 39 points adrift in third.