STOCKHOLM (AFP) - Andre Agassi was set to intensify his chase for a place in next month's eight-man Masters Cup, with a Tuesday morning arrival in Sweden to compete as top seed at the 632,750-euro Stockholm Open.
Three days after losing to Marat Safin in the semi-finals of the Madrid Masters, the 34-year-old American was preparing for a big push to earn a late place in the season wrap-up which begins November 15.
Already on site for several days in the Swedish capital is Agassi's coach, Darren Cahill, who has been studying a tape of his charge's loss in Spain.
Together they will go over the defeat to Safin with a fine toochcomb ahead of Agassi's first first round match against Belgian Kristof Vliegen.
ATP officials on Monday confirmed Agassi's arrival, saying the eight-time Grand Slam champion had confirmed he would play after sounding somewhat disinterested in carrying on after his elimination in Madrid.
The veteran can start earning points to the good as soon as the second round and can only add to his total of 393 the farther he progresses.
Agassi is in provisional eighth place in a field from which Roger Federer, Andy Roddick and Lleyton Hewitt have already qualified.
Argentine Gaston Gaudio also has an entry by virtue of his French Open title.
Agassi has this week in Stockholm and next week at the concluding Paris Bercy Masters to book one of the four spots remaining.
There was limited action on court at the Kungligahallen on opening day, with number three Andrei Pavel the only seed on court.
The third-seeded Romanian moved into the second round after beating Argentine Agustin Calleri 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
American Jan-Michael Gambill handed Finn Jarkko Nieminen an unpleasant reminder of past poor performances.
Nieminen, who reached a surprise final as a qualifier in 2001, losing to Sjeng Schalken, has now lost in the first round for three consecutive years.
He went out to Gambill 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-2 to keep that unwanted streak alive.
Swede Joachim Johansson, a US Open finalist, is seeded second and will open against Chile's Adrian Garcia happy to not to be travelling.
"I'm happy to stay home, I live 30 minutes away from the event and I have a lot of friends coming to watch me, so I'm looking forward to that."
10/25/2004 - 18:18 GMT - AFP