Top Seeds Win At Rain-Soaked U.S. Open

Top seeds Pete Sampras and Martina Hingis stayed the course during a wet Thursday at the U.S. Open.

Thirty matches - all doubles or mixed doubles - were postponed by rain. All 31 singles matches eventually were completed.

Sampras, the four-time champion, was supposed to play in Arthur Ashe Stadium during the day but wound up at night in the old grandstand, where he labored to a 7-5, 6-4, 6-3 triumph over an inspired Patrick Baur of Germany.

The top women’s seed, Hingis, needed only 44 minutes to polish off Denisa Chladkova 6-1, 6-2.

Men’s No. 6 Alex Corretja of Spain struggled to a nearly 3-hour 7-5, 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Bohdan Ulihrach of the Czech Republic.

French Open champion and No. 9 seed Gustavo Kuerten won 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 against Sjeng Schalken. Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek, unseeded, also won in straight sets.

Unseeded Todd Martin, who knocked out Jim Courier in the first round, succumbed to 17th-ranked Jonas Bjorkman 7-5, 6-4, 6-0. Women’s No. 3 Jana Novotna beat Yayuk Basuki 6-4, 6-2.

Olympic gold medalist Lindsay Davenport also advanced, winning 6-2, 6-3 against Wiltrud Probst.

Gigi Fernandez, the No. 12 seed, survived seven aces to win 4-6, 6-2, 6-2.

Fernandez, 26, put to rest rumors she’s thinking about retirement, saying she’s still eager to pursue her dream of winning a major.