Agassi, Sampras bite the dust
Ossian Shine
Former champion Andre Agassi joined Pete Sampras and Marat Safin as shock second-round losers when he crashed out of Wimbledon championships, losing 4-6, 6-7, 2-6 to Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan.
Agassi, the third seed and semi-finalist for the last two years, was out-hit by his 23-year-old opponent on a packed and sun-bathed Centre Court.
Srichaphan, who has a 9-7 career record on grass, combined well-placed forehand top spins and sizzling backhand passing shots to defeat the 1992 champion.
Agassi was dogged by numerous unforced errors, often hitting his trademark returns into the net.
Seven-time winner Sampras fell after an epic five-set defeat to 145th ranked Swiss George Bastl.
The 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4 defeat on the jinxed court two marks the earliest exit from Wimbledon for Sampras since losing in the second round in 1991 and tarnishes the shine on his glittering career.
Earlier, second seed Marat Safin crashed out losing to Belgian Olivier Rochus.
Bastl was a lucky loser from qualifying to get into the main draw but did not need luck against the winner of a record 13 Grand Slam crowns.
A serve like a mule's kick and unwavering belief were enough to secure him the biggest win of his career.
Blinking back tears, the 27-year-old Swiss saluted the intimate crowd after clinching victory when Sampras thumped a forehand long, and shook his head, marvelling at the magnitude of his achievement.
Since Sampras made his debut in 1989, the loss is only a seventh at Wimbledon for the American, seeded sixth this time.
RARIFIED ATMOSPHERE
More accustomed to the rarified atmosphere of Centre Court, Sampras sat bemused in his chair, head bowed, as the cacophony of noise went on around him.
The evening two years ago when he clinched his seventh Wimbledon crown and record-breaking 13th Grand Slam title, seemed a very long time ago.
He was escorted off court and through the thronged masses, head bowed, in the middle of a circle of security men back to the player's compound.
Sampras -- who had not played on court two since 1999 -- started comfortably enough, showing no sign of the rib injury he picked up at an exhibition event last week.
He looked upset at being relegated to the relative anonymity of the court notorious for claiming big-name scalps, but there was nothing to suggest he would lose to the Swiss.
But it was Bastl who stole the first break, in the seventh game, and pulled into a one-set lead.
Returning sharply, the Swiss romped into a 3-0 lead in the second set and clinched it with another break in the eighth game as Sampras huffed and puffed and his fate looked dicey.
But as the sun scorched down, the snap returned to his serve and the spring to his step as he fought his way back into the match.
He clinched the third and fourth sets with some beautiful net play crisp volleying, but Bastl was not about to let the best result of his life slip from between his fingers.
His anticipation returned and in an edgy fifth set he pounced in the ninth game. A powerful backhand pass set up break point and another sharp return forced Sampras to make the half-volley error for the break.
Bastl did not need another chance and served out on his first match point for a glorious win.
