Hewitt loses temper as favourites tumble out

When in Rome, do the best you can. That was the only advice that could be given to the leading contenders on a wet afternoon at the Italian Open, and it was easier said than done.

Lleyton Hewitt, the world No 1, fared little better against Carlos Moya here than when defeated in straight sets by the Spanish former French Open champion in the first round in Monte Carlo a fortnight ago. Moya prevailed in the second round this time, 6-3, 6-2, as Hewitt lost his temper as well as his serve and was given a point penalty.

Juan Carlos Ferrero, the defending champion, was also eliminated, failing to master the adverse conditions here as well as he did in winning the Monte Carlo Open a fortnight ago.

The third seed from Spain was defeated, 7-5, 6-2, by Ivan Ljubicic, a Croatian who was inspired by Goran Ivanisevic's Wimbledon triumph last July and greeted with mixed emotions his countryman's decision to abandon his defence of the title to have a shoulder operation. Though sad that Ivanisevic will miss his longed-for return to the Centre Court, Ljubicic is relieved that his Davis Cup team-mate is going to have surgery, having seen him so often in excruciating pain.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov, Russia's erratic former No 1, seeded No 4, lost to Wayne Ferreira, of South Africa, 6-4, 4-6, 6-2. Ferreira, better known for his results on faster surfaces, looked the more comfortable on the slippery court yesterday.

Sebastien Grosjean, of France, the 10th seed, had a narrow escape, saving three match points before overcoming David Nalbandian, of Argentina, 5-7, 6-4, 7-5.

Andy Roddick, the 13th seed, also reached the third round, but only after recovering from worrying opening set against Andre Pavel, of Romania, in the opening match on Centre Court. Roddick won, 1-6, 6-4, 6-3. "The first five games went pretty fast," Roddick said. "I didn't feel like I was hitting the ball badly, just the result came out pretty bad."

While others struggled, Andre Agassi, the ninth seed, flowed. The 32-year-old Agassi seemed so keen to rub his opponent's nose in the clay that he queried a line call on game point when leading Michel Kratochvil, 6-0, 5-0. The 23-year-old Swiss pointed to the spot where Agassi's shot landed out, and the American accepted the decision.

As a player who can recall key moments in matches played years ago, Agassi was unlikely to have forgotten that when he arrived to defend his title in Indian Wells in March, weary after a run of tournaments, Kratochvil eliminated him in the first round, 7-6, 7-6. Not that he begrudged Kratochvil the game that enabled him to avoid a whitewash yesterday. "He played a good game," Agassi said. "He hit four winners in that game."

That was as far as it went for Kratochvil. He had not advanced beyond the second round of his nine subsequent tournaments since Indian Wells, and simply could not cope with Agassi on a day when the Las Vegan committed only six unforced errors.