Crying Game Takes Over Li In Aussie Loss Sanchez Vicario Takes Bite Out Of Fang

Arantxa Sanchez Vicario reduced her first-round opponent to tears today in the Australian Open, overwhelming Fang Li so thoroughly she sobbed uncontrollably on a changeover just before the end.

Sanchez Vicario, the top seed, began her quest for the No. 1 ranking in women’s tennis by crushing Li 6-2, 6-0 in a match that finished with a pitiable scene.

Andre Agassi, also looking to assume the No. 1 ranking, gave the fans plenty of entertainment in his Australian debut, racing through a 6-2, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Grant Stafford.

Wearing a purple bandana that completely covered his shaved head and a striped shirt and checkered shorts, Agassi was in full control against the No. 214-ranked qualifier from South Africa.

There was a far different mood when Sanchez Vicario closed her match. Some players have cried after losing, but rarely has anyone done it during a match. Li, a 22-yearold from China, who reached the final of a tuneup event in Tasmania last week, buried her face in a towel during the changeover at 5-0 in the second set.

She cried until it was time to get back on court, then returned to play with her eyes puffy and tears on her cheeks.

Ranked No. 50, Li dumped three shots into the net and swished at a lob by Sanchez Vicario to lose the match.

Sanchez Vicario, who said she didn’t even notice Li crying, tapped her on the back after they shook hands at the net, but there was little consolation she could offer.

“She’s trying but she couldn’t hit the ball on the court,” Sanchez Vicario said. “She gets more frustrated.”

Li, speaking through an interpreter, said she “felt like a beginner” in the match.

“I couldn’t do anything,” Li said. “Arantxa didn’t kill me. I made a lot of mistakes. I thought I could do better. I was in a little bit of a hurry. I wanted to do everything. Sometimes I forget everything. I couldn’t hit a ball.”

This is the first Grand Slam event in Sanchez Vicario’s career where she is seeded No. 1, the honor going to her after defending champion Steffi Graf pulled out with a calf injury. If Sanchez Vicario wins, or accumulates enough points getting to the final, she can take over Graf’s top ranking.

“I don’t think it is going to put more pressure on me,” Sanchez Vicario said. “But it’s something new, and it’s great to be the No. 1 seed.”

Rain suspended all outdoor matches early today, but the roof was closed over the stadium to allow Patrick Rafter to complete a 6-3, 1-6, 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win over Jakob Hlasek. When the sky cleared, the roof was opened to let Sanchez Vicario and Li play outdoors.

Natalia Medvedeva came back from the rain break to upset No. 9 Magdalena Maleeva 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, the first loss by a seeded player in the tournament.

On Monday night, the crowd glimpsed a future star of men’s tennis. He’s a kid with the body of a god, thunderous serves and lightning-bolt volleys, a million dollars in the bank and millions more to be made.

Mark Philippoussis is called the Golden Greek in this city of Greeks, and now the rest of the tennis world knows why.

Stefan Edberg has seen all the big hitters of the past decade, felt the power of the young Boris Becker and the mature Pete Sampras, yet no one he’s faced has slugged with more raw power from all over the court than this 18-year-old with a Greek name and Australian accent.

“He is as powerful as you are going to get,” Edberg said after drawing on all his experience Monday night to survive their match, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-1) 7-5.

When Edberg wasn’t ducking or leaping away from shots to his head and body, he spent much of his first match watching balls whiz past him at incredible speeds. Philippoussis hit 10 aces, twice as many as Edberg, and had 52 winners to Edberg’s 38.