HALLE, Germany, June 11 (UPI) -- American Pete Sampras, gearing up for a run at an eighth Wimbledon title, overcame a slow start Tuesday to avoid an opening-round exit in his first appearance in the Gerry Weber Open.
The fourth-seeded Sampras, who received a wild card berth just prior to the start of the tournament, rallied to defeat Russian Andrei Stoliarov, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Sampras enters the grass court season looking to end a title drought that has lasted almost two years. He has not won since claiming his seventh Wimbledon title in 2000.
Top seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia, a two-time winner here, continued his domination of Jonas Borkman, posting a 7-6 (7-4), 6-2 to improve to 9-0 all-time against the Swede.
Kafelnikov has had a disappointing year, ranking just 34th in the ATP Champions race. He posted a 2-10 record during the clay season and is just 18-18 overall in 2002.
Third seed and defending champion Thomas Johansson also was forced into a first-set tiebreaker, but advanced with a 7-6 (7-4), 6-0 victory over Germany's Axel Pretzsch.
A pair of seeds were upset as Germany's Ranier Schuettler beat fifth-seeded Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-2, and Austria's Stefan Koubek ousted No. 7 Carlos Moya of Spain, 6-3, 6-3.
In matches involving unseeded players, Romania'a Andrei Pavel dispatched Radek Stepenek of the Czech Republic, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, and Kenneth Carlsen of Denmark beat Morocco's Hicham Arazi, 6-1, 4-6, 6-1.
A match between eighth-seeded Fabrice Santoro of France and Russia's Mikhail Youzhy was postponed because of rain.
No. 2 Roger Federer of Switzerland barely avoided an upset Monday, rallying for a 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4 victory over qualifier Hendrik Dreekman of Germany.
