Agassi shows the way in San Jose
SAN JOSE, California -- Andre Agassi eased past Georgia's Irakli Labadze in his first match since the Australian Open as he began his bid for a record sixth title in San Jose, California.
Second seed Agassi beat Labadze 7-6 6-4 to earn a second round match with South Africa's Wesley Moodie.
In other action, sixth-seeded Vince Spadea defeated wild card Tommy Haas 6-4 6-2, in the German's first ATP match since October 31, 2002, due to a variety of injuries.
"That was an awkward match," said Agassi. "He served pretty good and I couldn't quite get over the hump in breaking his serve, and that's when the match gets dangerous."
Agassi, beaten in Australian Open semifinals by Russian Marat Safin, recorded the only service break in the match to go up 4-3 in the second set. Agassi won 91 percent of his first serve points with seven aces, while Labadze won 77 percent of his first serve points, including nine aces.
"There's no disappointment in this match," said Labadze, who fell to 1-2 against Agassi. "I just made one or two mistakes on big points and he took them."
Agassi, ranked fifth, now has 792 wins in a career that includes 58 titles. Agassi turned pro in 1986, when Labadze was five years old.
Haas, who reached a career-high second in the ATP rankings in May of 2002, had not played a tour match since losing to Swiss star Roger Federer in the third round of the Tennis Masters Series Paris event two years ago.
The 25-year-old missed the entire 2003 season after right rotator cuff surgery in December of 2002 and an arthroscopic operation on his right shoulder last July.
Spadea will face either South Korea's Lee Hyung-Taik or Belgium's Xavier Malisse in the second round.
Third seed Mardy Fish and fifth-seed Robby Ginepri, who played on the triumphant US Davis Cup team last week in a first-round tie, each advanced to the second round by beating compatriots in straight sets Tuesday.
Fish took his first ATP triumph of the year by beating Alex Reichel 6-1, 6-4 to set up a second-round match against Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen, who ousted Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.
Ginepri, who reached his first fourth round at a Grand Slam in the Australian Open last month, defeated Cecil Mamiit 6-4, 6-3 to book a date with France's Cyril Saulnier, who ousted American Brian Vahaly 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Ivanisevic victory in Milan
Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic needed three sets to shake off Bohdan Ulihrach and book his place in the second round of the men's ATP indoor tennis tournament in Milan on Tuesday.
The 32-year-old big-serving Croat, playing his first competitive match since last June, scraped through 7-6 3-6 7-6 in a thrilling first round encounter against the spirited Czech.
Ivanisevic, who has been plagued by a left shoulder injury since his Wimbledon triumph in 2001, will now meet Tommy Robredo.
The Spanish number three seed defeated compatriot Alex Corretja in straight sets.
