Agassi speeds into second round in St Petersburg

Top seed Andre Agassi eased through to the second round of the $1 million St Petersburg Open by beating Czech Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-4 in just 57 minutes on Wednesday.

The 32-year-old American, who won the Madrid Masters last week, is aiming to topple Lleyton Hewitt from the world number one spot at the end of the year.

The Australian was knocked out of the Stockholm Open by little-known Dutchman Raemon Sluiter in the second round on Wednesday.

Agassi faces Slovakia's Karol Kucera in the second round on Thursday. "Today I was very glad. I was playing well and it was a very comfortable win," he said.

"Tomorrow it will be much more difficult. We met many times and played many great matches in the past. It's important for me to do well here."

Agassi's wife, seven times Wimbledon champion Steffi Graf, accompanied him to Russia with their son Jaden Gil, who has his first birthday during the tournament.

"The best gift for my son is that our family got together, which doesn't happen so often. So it would be a special birthday for him," said Agassi.

The American said he was in good form and on track to collect the top prize.

Third seed Sebastien Grosjean of France also went through to the second round after beating Armenian Sargis Sargsian 6-4, 6-4, while eighth seed Max Mirnyi of Belarus defeated Jan Vacek of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.