Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2001 | 10:16 a.m.
Las Vegan Andre Agassi, warming up to defend his Australian Open title, overcame a rocky start. For Australian Open favorite Pete Sampras, U.S. Open champion Marat Safin and Australian Patrick Rafter, it was a rocky finish.
Agassi beat Nicolas Kiefer 7-6 (2), 3-6, 6-2 in the first round of the Colonial Classic today in Melbourne. Bothered by a sore elbow, Safin withdrew from the eight-man exhibition tournament hours after losing 6-2, 6-1 to France's Nicolas Escude.
Spanish Davis Cup hero Juan Carlos Ferrero defeated Sampras 6-2, 6-4, and Olympic gold medalist Yevgeny Kafelnikov beat Rafter 6-2, 6-2.
"It was a really ugly day at tennis," Agassi said of the 95-degree heat and wind. "I feel good. It was a tough day to judge yourself too harshly."
With the Australian Open starting next Monday, Agassi said the day's tennis "gave me a good look at what I'll be in for the next couple of weeks, and that feels good."
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