Rome, May 05: Spain's David Ferrer came back from a first set whitewash to knock out defending champion and top seed Andre Agassi in the first round with a 0-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 victory.
Agassi was playing his first tournament since becoming the new world number one, but he will be relegated to number two again when the rankings are released next week after a demoralising defeat.
Ferrer looked out of his depth in the first set as he failed to win a game and managed only two game points. But as Agassi's form dipped in the second set, the Spaniard gradually cut out the errors and set about frustrating his more experienced opponent.
He won the tiebreak comfortably, before grabbing the one break he needed in the third set to end the defence of a shell-shocked Agassi. It was only the second defeat Agassi has suffered this season, and the Rome event lost another of its star names when Marat Safin withdrew with a wrist injury.
The Russian sixth seed was due to face home favourite Filippo Volandri of Italy but has been replaced in the draw by Chile's Nicolas Massu.



Elsewhere, French Open champion Albert Costa overcame a slow start to see off Croatia's Zeljko Krajan 6-4 7-5.


Bureau Report