Byron Black crashes out

Seeded players biting the dust has become a routine affair in the Gold Flake Indian Open tennis championship in Madras. On Wednesday, fourth seed Byron Black of Zimbabwe joined the list of casualties, going down 3-6, 4-6 to Frenchman Cyril Saulnier in a second round match.

Black, the 1999 champion, thus becomes the fifth seeded player to be ousted by a lesser-known player.

Others who crashed out earlier are top seed Magnus Norman (Sweden), second seed Franco Squillari (Argentina), seventh seed Markus Hantschk and eighth seed Jiri Vanek.

In the doubles event, the ace Indian pair of Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi began their 2001 campaign on a rousing note, whipping the Swedish pair of J Landsberg and Andreas Vinciguerra 6-2, 7-5 in their opening match.

French third seed Cedric Pioline scored over Haiti's Ronald Agenor in a singles match, rallying from a first set loss to win 4-6, 6-3, 6-2.

The Frenchman will play Michal Tabara in the last eight after the Czech, who beat top seed Yevgeny Kafelnikov in the first round last year, defeated Dutchman Edwin Kempes 6-4, 6-0.

In another second round match, Tommy Robredo (Esp) defeated compatriot David Sanchez 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.

In a doubles first round match, the Indian pair of Saurav Panja and Prahlad Srinath, last year's finalists, lost 3-6, 4-6 to Eyal Ran (Isr) and Jairo Velasco (Esp).

On Tuesday, the Open lost its top two seeds after Swede Magnus Norman and Argentina's Franco Squillari crashed out in the first round.

American teenager Taylor Dent upset world No. 4 Norman 6-3, 7-6 in 91 minutes and Russian Michael Youzhny beat Squillari 6-7, 6-1, 6-2 in a 111-minute clash. The Argentine was 14th in the 2000 ATP Champions' Race.

Dent, 19, was thrilled with the biggest win of his career.

"I think he was not prepared for me. This is a great start to the new year," said the big-serving wild card entrant.

"I did not play my best tennis," said Norman. "It takes a lot to beat me. This guy is good."

The tournament has a history of losing its top players in the early rounds.

Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov lost in the first round last year, Spain's Carlos Moya was an early victim in 1999, German Boris Becker could not make it past the second round the year before that and Dutchman Richard Krajicek lost early in 1997.

Earlier on Tuesday, third seed Cedric Pioline had a close shave in his first match. The 31-year-old Frenchman overcame a spirited challenge from Spain's Galo Blanco in front of a screaming centre court crowd at the Nungambakkam stadium before winning 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 in 104 minutes.