JP/10/TENNIS

JP/10/TENNIS

Sampras leads seeds into quarters

TOKYO (UPI): Pete Sampras administered a well-received tennis lesson to a Tour rookie yesterday to lead the top quartet of seeds into the quarterfinals of the US$1.2 million Japan Open.

The runaway World No. 1 and defending champion beat Britain's qualifier Tim Henman 6-1, 6-2 in the 19-year-old challenger's first appearance at an IBM-ATP Tour event and only his third top- level tournament match.

"I really enjoyed it out there," the loser said. "I can see just how powerful the No. 1 player actually is." Sampras, who won a U.S. open title in 1990 at age 19, praised the Briton's forehand adding: "He hits the ball well, but needs to develop a powerful weapon."

The three trailing seeds also advanced without undue problems after mastering capricious winds on a cloudy day at Ariake Tennis Park.

Michael Chang's normal quiet and docile nature was put aside as the second seed trounced fellow American Chuck Adams 6-1, 6-3.

Chang, a self-professed Christian, as much as threw fellow American Adams to the lions in his rush to victory.

"I can be Mr. Nice Guy off court, but if I can win a match 6- 0, 6-0, I'm going to do it," said the world No. 9.

"It's every man for himself on court. I want to go out there and destroy the guy. It makes it easier on me if I can win a match quickly."

No. 3 Boris Becker, who changed his decade-long schedule this spring to play in Japan, dismissed Dane Kenneth Carlsen 6-4, 7-5.

Fourth-seeded Ivan Lendl came through two tiebreakers against Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden, winning 7-6 (10-8), 7-6 (9-7), but missed two match points before closing out the win.

In quarterfinals on the women's side of the outdoor hardcourt event, second seed Naoko Sawamatsu beat Florencia Labat of Argentina 5-7, 6-2, 6-3 and No. 4 Amy Frazier won an all-American clash against fifth seed Patty Fendick 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-4).

Sampras, on the trail of his sixth title of 1994, was on solid form against the outclassed Henman. The American lost only three points on serve, had five love games out of seven and hit 61 percent of his first serves.

He will next face Australian Patrick Rafter, a 6-3, 6-1 winner over American Patrick McEnroe.

Among the world No. 30 Aussie's victims in 1993 were Sampras, Jim Courier and Chang. "He can play at a top level and he's dangerous," was Sampras' assessment.

Becker said that the wind played havoc with his strategy in the win over Carlsen. "It was impossible to go for long rallies," said the 13th-ranked German, who dropped out of the top 10 last year.

"I had to play percentage tennis. It was short points and coming to the net. But then the wind calmed down and he had chances to pass me."

Becker said that conditions got so gusty that he even asked the chair umpire when it would be considered bad enough to stop the match. It never was and he went on for victory.