ROME, May 5 (UPI) -- A week after reclaiming the No. 1 ranking, Andre Agassi had it taken away Monday by unseeded David Ferrer of Spain.
Agassi, who was 23-1 with four titles this season, appeared headed to another victory when he cruised through the first set, 6-0, in the first round of the $2.33 million Tennis Masters Series claycourt event in Rome. But Ferrer, who had lost his last eight matches on the ATP circuit, pulled off an improbable comeback with a 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 win over the next two sets.
The match was Agassi's first since he regained the No. 1 ranking on April 28 and celebrated his 33rd birthday the following day.
But Agassi wilted against Ferrer. After hitting the net on break point for Ferrer in the ninth game of the third set, Agassi committed four unforced errors that allowed Ferrer to serve out the match.
Australian Leyton Hewitt withdrew from this event, indicating he needed more time to rest before the French Open later this month, but will regain the top spot after Agassi's stunning first-round elimination.
Agassi appeared determined to defend his title here, breezing through the first set in just 24 minutes. But Ferrer held his serve in the second set and took the tiebreak. In the third set, Agassi lost his serve in the ninth game and self-destructed in the last game.
A week ago, Agassi rallied to beat fellow American Andy Roddick in the final of the U.S. Men's Clay Court Championship for his fourth ATP Tour title of the year.
But Monday belonged to the 21-year Ferrer, who was a quarterfinalist in Auckland in January but just 5-12 this season with eight straight losses. He won his first ATP title in Bucharest in 2002.
Roddick was scheduled to play Italian Andrea Gaudenzi on Monday in the first round.
No. 7 Albert Costa of Spain and eighth seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic advanced on Monday. Costa beat Zeljko Krajan, 6-4, 7-5 and Novak defeated Wayne Arthurs, 6-3, 6-3.
Sixth seed Marat Safin of Russia pulled out Monday due to a sore wrist.
