Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi had very different
days today at the Australian Open, but they did have one thing in common - a distaste for Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
Both belittled the Russian's claim that million dollar tennis players were underpaid.
"He should take his prize money when he is done here and go and buy some perspective," said Agassi who had an easy walk in his third round encounter with German David Prinosil.
"At the end of the day I would be hard pressed to spend time with a person who thinks making hundreds of thousands of dollars is not enough money."
Sampras chipped in: "I think we're all overpaid. We play a sport and we get paid very well."
Sampras struggled to shoot down Argentina's Juan Igancio Chela, battling for an energy sapping three hours eight minutes for his 6-4, 4-6, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory.
In contrast, Agassi spent just one hour eight minutes on court before Prinosil succumbed to heat exhaustion, giving the six-time Slam champion a 7-6 (11/9), 5-0 win and a crack at Todd Martin.
Aussie favourite and 12th seed Pat Rafter also advanced, with a straight sets 6-4, 6-1, 7-5 beating of Swiss Michel Kratochvil.
Joing him in the fourth round are Marat Safin and Lindsay Davenport while crowd favourite Anna Kournikova also advanced.
But French 13th seed Cedric Pioline and compatriot Sandrine Testud, the 14th seed, wilted in the Melbourne heat and crashed out.
AFP