Agassi, Courier Ousted

Two-time defending champion Andre Agassi was upstaged and ousted in the first round of the $2.3 million ATP Championship in Mason, Ohio, by 20-year-old Brazilian Gustavo Kuerten. It took just 46 minutes for Kuerten’s 6-3, 6-1 victory.

In another first-round upset, Albert Costa saved two match points against Jim Courier and went on to a 4-6, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 victory over the former world No. 1-ranked player.

The ATP said it will look into whether Boris Becker was given $125,000 to guarantee his appearance in at least one of two Volvo International tennis tournaments.

The former Volvo International - now known as the Pilot Pen International - is among the 21 of the ATP Tour’s 77 events that are restricted from paying players to appear.