Bright spot for Bruguera

Tennis

Sergi Bruguera, who will attempt to win a third successive French Open title when the tournament starts next week, showed he is in good form when he crushed Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia in the World Team Cup in Dusseldorf yesterday.

But Bruguera's 6-3, 6-2 victory was the only bright spot for Spain as Russia won the tie 2-1. It was their second defeat in as many days and ended Spanish hopes of a fourth World Team Cup title.

Alberto Berasategui went down 6-4, 6-1 to Andrei Chesnokov and in the decisive doubles Bruguera and Carlos Costa were beaten 6-4, 6-3 by Kafelnikov and Andrei Olhovskiy.

Bruguera, the world No 7, took just an hour to dispose of the ninth-ranked Kafelnikov despite an uncertain start which saw him trail 0-2.

Kafelnikov has had a string of disappointing results, including a first- round defeat at the Italian Open last week in Rome. "I'm tired, tired mentally. With the way I'm playing now I don't feel I can even win one match in Paris." he said.

Bruguera, who suffered a knee ligament injury in February, said: "I still feel a difference between the right and left leg. It's not a question of being an injury any more, but of strength and power."