Kafelnikov advances to round two of Lyon GP

Agencies, Lyon, France

Yevgeny Kafelnikov strolled past Brazilian Fernando Meligeni 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday to reach the second round of the $800,000 Lyon Grand Prix tournament.

But defending champion Ivan Ljubicic, the eighth seed, bowed out in the second round to Denmark's Kristian Pless, who won 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Kafelnikov, who will partner compatriot Marat Safin in the Davis Cup final against defending champion France next month, was hardly challenged by Meligeni and wrapped the match up in just over an hour.

In the next round Kafelnikov, second seed and winner here in 1996, will take on Nicolas Escude.

Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu clinched his ninth consecutive victory in just ten days by taming compatriot Julien Boutter 6-2, 7-5 to advance into the next round.

Mathieu won the Kremlin Cup on Sunday as a qualifier.

Arnaud Clement overcame Chile's Fernando Gonzalez, the sixth seed, to reach the third round with a straight sets 6-4, 6-3 win.

Clement could face compatriot Sebastien Grosjean in the next round if Grosjean can overcome Brazil's Andre Sa.

In Vienna, Austria, top seed Tommy Haas of Germany beat Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 on Wednesday to advance to the second round of the US$800,000 CA Trophy.

The German took the first set 6-2 in less than 30 minutes, but a series of unforced errors brought the consistent Russian back into the match in the second set.

A seemingly self-confident Youzhny kept the momentum going into the third set and took a 4-1 lead. But Haas fought back, winning four games in a row before closing out the match in the 12th game.

Earlier, Czech qualifier Radek Stepanek topped Stefan Koubek of Austria 6-3, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (1).

Also, sixth-seeded Roger Federer of Switzerland beat Croatia's Zeljko Krajan 7-5, 6-1; James Blake of the United States defeated countryman Vincent Spadea 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Czech Jiri Novak topped Guillermo Coria of Argentina 7-5, 6-2; and former French Open champion Carlos Moya of Spain downed Agustin Calleri of Argentina 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7).

In Filderstadt, Germany, top seed Jennifer Capriati was stunned 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 by qualifier Alexandra Stevenson in the second round of the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix on Wednesday.

It was Stevenson's second win over Capriati this year, following an earlier victory in Sydney in January.

Playing for the first time since losing to Amelie Mauresmo in the quarterfinals of the US Open, world number three Capriati failed to come to terms with her fellow American's strong forehand and backhand.

Defending champion and second seed Lindsay Davenport also struggled in the early stages, losing the first three games to Israel's Anna Smashnova before recovering to for a 6-4, 6-3 victory.

Russia's Elena Dementieva claimed her first victory in four meetings with Amanda Coetzer, beating the South African 6-3, 6-0, and in a battle between two qualifiers Switzerland's Myriam Casanova overcame American Lisa Raymond 1-6, 6-3, 6-4 to set up a clash with fourth seeded Justine Henin.