Sampras digs deep to advance, Hewitt cruises

Pete Sampras had to hit his way out of trouble to come away with a three-set win against Guillermo Canas in the first round of the Cincinnati Masters on Tuesday.

Sampras went a set and a break down against the Argentinean before turning the match around for a 5-7 7-6 6-4 win.

Canas, who won his first Masters Series title in Toronto last week, served for the match at 6-5 in the second set but Sampras broke back then clung on a tense tiebreaker.

Having missed his chance, Canas's challenge faded in the decider and Sampras, roared on by his home crowd, took full advantage to book a second round berth .

Earlier, Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt was in merciless form in his first round match at the $2.95 million event, beating hapless American wildcard Robby Ginepri 6-0 6-0.

The performance puts Hewitt's U.S. Open preparations back on track after a rare first round defeat last week in Toronto.

"He didn't play great, obviously," said Hewitt.

"He struggled a lot, but I just kept balls in play. Today he just went on court and he looked very nervous right from the start. I didn't have to do a lot."

But the win was soured by a row between Hewitt and the ATP, the organiser of men's tennis, who requested a television interview prior to the match.

"I was a bit surprised I was able to keep any balls in court considering all the crap that was going on before the match. I'm surprised that I didn't do what he did and miss every ball out there," said the top seed.

Following the match the ATP announced in a statement that Hewitt would be fined for not completing his media commitments either $20,000 or half of his prize money for the event, whichever amount is greater.

QUICK-FIRE WIN

The world number one will be defending champion at Flushing Meadows when action gets underway on 26 August.

Andy Roddick also scored a quick-fire win. Roddick, who appeared in his first Masters Series final in Toronto on Sunday, took little more than an hour to ease past Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland 6-3 6-3.

Briton Tim Henman also sent former world number one Gustavo Kuerten packing in their first round match, beating the defending champion 6-3 6-4 in just an hour and 17 minutes.

Kuerten said afterwards that he was still feeling the effects on an ongoing hip problem after undergoing surgery in February.

"I think he is playing very well," said Kuerten. "I am still not playing good enough. First round for me, it was tough to play at a good level. He was more decisive in his shots and played the big points well."

The Briton, seeded fourth, could have won even more easily had he held serve while leading 5-2 in the second set.

Henman's win over Kuerten gives him the lead in their personal rivalry here. They have now played each other three years running, with Henman's only loss coming last year.

"Any win is a good win," said Henman. "Irrespective of the way 'Guga' is feeling physically, it's great to beat someone of his calibre and as he's defending champion, it's a good start for me and I want to build from it."

SHAKIER START

Henman made the shakier start, saving a breakpoint in his opening service game, but from then on lost just one more point on his own serve and broke Kuerten in the sixth game to take the first set.

The second set was even more one-sided, with Kuerten losing his serve in the opening game and again in the seventh to give Henman a 5-2 lead.

The Briton stuttered slightly as he tried to take the match but served out to love when he had a second chance at 5-4.

This is Kuerten's second first round exit in a row. The three-time French Open champion retired with a hip injury when a set down to Andrei Pavel in the first round of the Canadian Masters last week.

"I am still concerned much more about my health than my results," said Kuerten,

"I am still not my best but I could compete. There is still some gap to get to my best form."

Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian of Argentina also made an early exit, beaten 3-6 6-3-6-4 by Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek fared better, he beat 13th seed Jiri Novak 6-4 6-4.

Meanwhile, former U.S. Open finalist Mark Philippoussis, who had to qualify for the event because he wasn't ranked high enough to gain direct entry, beat Fabrice Santoro 4-6 7-6 6-3.