Rafter in Doubt for US Open

Pat Rafter is now in doubt for the US Open after aggravating a shoulder injury during the recent Indianapolis event. His absence would be a great shame for the sport, as it would end his chances of winning the US Open for an extraordinary 3 consecutive years. It would also remove Rafter from the equation in what has become an intriguing battle for the top spot and hard-court supremacy between himself, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi and Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Rafter reached the quarter-finals at the Indianapolis event this week before pulling out as a result of tendenitis in the shoulder. His absence would be unfortunate as men's tennis has just started hotting up over the US summer, with Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Yevgeny Kafelnikov and Rafter all finding form.

Pete Sampras has been the best of these 4 in-form players, winning events at Los Angeles and Cincinatti recently. Rafter made the final of Cincinatti where he lost to Sampras. Agassi won at Washington, and made the final of the Los Angeles tournament before losing to Sampras. Finally, Kafelnikov made the finals of the Montreal event as well as Washington.

The form of these 4 players have been great for men's tennis, although it still would be fair to say that Sampras has been dominating and is a hot favourite for the US Open title.

It is especially encouraging for the game that Yevgeny Kafelnikov has found form. As a former world number 1, it's good to see the Russian at last capable of putting together some good results. This has given some much needed legitimacy to his being a former world number 1, after a disasterous run earlier in the year.

Now Kafelnikov has joined Sampras, Agassi and Rafter in a four-way battle for the year end number 1 ranking. The form of these top four players is excellent going into the US Open, and hopefully will help to rejuvenate interest in men's tennis.

Tournament News

Pete Sampras continued his huge winning streak which stretches back to Queens in June, beating Pat Rafter in the Cincinatti final by 7-6 (9-7), 6-3.

In Washington the 2 top seeds Andre Agassi and Yevgeney Kafelnikov slugged it out in the final, with Agassi finishing on top. He won by 7-6 (7-3), 6-1, avenging a straight sets defeat at the hands of the Russian in Montreal recently.

There was a surprise result in Indianopolis, where unseeded Nicholas Lapentti beat Vicent Spadea in the final. Most had expected another Sampras and Rafter final, but both of these players were forced to pull out in the quarter-finals with injuries. Lapentti won the final by 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, and has moved up to 18th in the ATP Tour rankings.

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