The Palm Beach Post from West Palm Beach, Florida • Page 146

MSL U.S. Open NHL Panthers pair fights logjam on defense Kyle Rossiter and Joe DiPenta are working their way up and could challenge for roster spots in a year. I ife Struggling for the top rung A history of the Panthers' second-and third-round selections since they entered the league in 1993: Year Name Rd. Pos. 1993 Kevin Weekes 2nd No.

2 goalie in Vancouver. Chris Armstrong 3rd Career minor leaguer. Mikael Tjallden 3rd Remained in Europe. Steve Washburn 3rd Latest stop is Nashville. 1994 Rhett Warrener 2nd Helped Buffalo to finals.

Jason Podollan 3rd RW Career minor-leaguer. Ryan Johnson 3rd Remains a Panthers prospect. 1995 Aaron MacDonald 2nd Total bust; out of hockey. Mike O'Grady 3rd Released this spring. 1996 Chris Allen 3rd Remains a Panthers prospect.

Oleg Kvasha 3rd A rising star in Florida. 1997 Kristin Huselius 2nd LW Playing well in Sweden. Viacheslav Cech 3rd Released and signed by Boston. 1998 Kyle Rossiter 2nd Finishing junior career. Joe DiPenta 3rd Finishing junior career.

1999 AlexAuld 2nd Having solid rookie camp. Niklas Hagman 3rd LW Still playing in Europe. Jean-Francois Laniel 3rd Coming off injury. Brian Biggane JOHN DUNNThe Associated Press Vince Spadea returns to Guillermo Canas, whom he beat 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 3-6, 6-3. padea falls, but wins By Brian Biggane Palm Beach Post Staff Writer HULL, Quebec The Florida Panthers were suffering from a dearth of defensemen when they made Kyle Rossiter and Joe DiPenta their first two picks of the 1998 draft.

In the next few weeks, Dan Boyle and Peter Ratchuk signed as free agents, and before long, what had been a shortage suddenly was a surplus. "When I got to summer camp at Thunder Bay (Ontario) after being picked last year, they had 11 defensemen, and eight had just signed," said Rossiter, selected 30th overall. Rossiter, 19, and DiPenta, 20, will play a final year of junior hockey this season before making their first serious bid at cracking a lineup so deep longtime regular Paul Laus already has been bumped up to forward. "It's a big year for both of them," said Assistant General Manager Chuck Fletcher, who monitors the progress of Panthers prospects. Rossiter, a 6-foot-3, 218-pounder, will be an assistant captain with Spokane of the Western League.

He was one of 12 defensemen invited to a Canadian evaluation camp for the team that will play in the World Juniors next winter; eight figure to make the team. DiPenta, 6-2 and 220, played two years at Boston University before leaving this spring to play for Halifax of the Quebec League. The city of Halifax will host the Memorial Cup (the Canadian junior championship) and the team gets an automatic berth as a result. "He'd been voted a co-captain at BU (for next season) before he left, and was one of the first juniors to get that," Fletcher said. "They were devastated when he left." "We only played 38 games a season at BU, and I wanted to play more," DiPenta said.

(Junior teams play at least 55 to 60.) "Plus, Halifax is my hometown, and it's a chance to play in front of my friends and family." If the pair follow the path of the previous players picked in the second and third rounds by Florida, their chances of playing in the NHL are good. Seven of the 12 players selected from 1993-96 have made at least one NHL appearance, and three Kevin Weekes of Vancouver, Rhett Warrener of Buffalo and Oleg Kvasha of Florida are regulars. "The odds for a second-rounder to play in the NHL are 40 to 45 percent; for a third-rounder it's about 20, and fourth-rounders drop off to 8 or 9 percent," Fletcher said. "Realistically you're not going to get a lot of skill players after the first couple rounds. The guys you accomplishment "He's serving for the match (in the third set) and I break him," Canas said.

"I was very confident, playing my best tennis in this moment." He continued that in the fourth set but Spadea committed to playing more aggressively in the fifth. He saved his first break point with a forehand down the line, the second with a big serve down the middle and the third with an ace out wide. "I needed to hit the ball hard and come in because you start losing a little bit of energy," Spadea said. He looked tired, but Canas didn't Once Spadea reached deuce, however, he was determined. He stabbed at a forehand and managed to make it a winning lob when Canas leaped for the overhead, missed wide and fell again.

Those are turning points in matches a lot of times," Spadea said. "It doesn't have to always be pretty. But it was deep enough." On the next point, Spadea came into the net and won with a backhand cross-court volley. "I don't have luck on important points," Canas said. Translate that from football into tennis and it means Spadea and Canas play similar games: solid groundstrokes, good serves and no overpowering weapon to make for quick points for either.

Still, the two combined for 107 winners and the fans on the Grandstand Court on a warm afternoon appreciated their competitive display and long points. "I like the people in America," said Canas, an Argentinian. "In the U.S. Open against (Tim) Henman, the people stay with me all the match. Today, too." New Yorkers, always ready to cheer an underdog and a fighter, took to Canas during his upset of Henman, the sixth seed, in the first round and kept it up after he crashed to the ground at 4-4 in the first set against Spadea.

A trainer worked on his right ankle during a changeover, but Spadea didn't notice any drop-off in Canas' play. "I wasn't being too careful, I don't think, because he played 1,000 percent," Spadea said. (He) didn't have any liability." Canas also received treatment in the fifth set for cramps. But he admitted that simply pushing the match beyond three sets was an Boca Raton resident beats Guillermo Canas in 5 sets, then relaxes. By Elizabeth Clarke I'alm Beach Post Staff Writer NEW YORK Vince Spadea's almost mindless babbling moments after he won a 4'-hour, five-set match Thursday revealed what a confusing day he had.

"I'm tired. I'm annoyed. I played good. I don't know if I played good," Spadea said to no one at all as he fell in his chair. And that about sums it up for the Boca Raton resident Except for the score.

Spadea, ranked a career-high No. 23, defeated No. 68 Guillermo Canas 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7, 3-6, 6-3 to advance to the third round of the U.S. Open. Canas persevered after spraining his ankle on an ugly fall in the first set, but Spadea overcame 86 unforced errors to serve out the match after getting behind love-40 in the final game.

"He played pretty solid the whole match," Spadea said. "I was playing a lot of defense, and I was trying to play offense but it wasn't as effective." get are either tiny, can't skate or scared to death. There's some obvious flaw." Rossiter and DiPenta are on track to get there. The next year or two may determine whether they ever arrive. Hedican is a concern: General Manager Bryan Murray said defenseman Bret Hedican, one of four free agents who has yet to sign "doesn't look very close" to agreeing to terms.

Murray said he does believe he will reach agreements with Viktor Ko zlov, Filip Kuba and Jaroslav Spacek on or about when the veterans report Saturday. Noteworthy: DiPenta was on crutches after spraining his ankle in Wednesday's rookie game; he is' day-to-day. Left winger Marcus Nilson flew in from Sweden and joined the rookies for a light workout Ivan Novoseltsev, whose problem was in the abdominal region and not the groin as previously reported, scored twice in Thursday's rookie game, but Montreal, benefiting from the presence of six players with AHL experience, won 5-2. Results Serena, Venus, Andre move on gH 4V i WHERE: National Tennis Center, Rushing, N.Y. TV TODAY: USA, 11 a.m., 7:30 p.m.; WPEC-12, WFOR-4, 12:35 a.m.

(highlights). UPDATES: Go to Palm Beach Interactive: www.GoPBI.com. The tournament's official site is www.USOpen.org. THURSDAY'S RESULTS: Area players in bold; seeds in parenthesis. MEN'S SINGLES, SECOND ROUND The Washington Post NEW YORK At a tournament last week, a fan gave Venus Williams a little black doll, complete with two interchangeable beaded wigs.

The toy bore a slight likeness to Venus and her younger sister, Serena, although one important item was missing: The doll had no silver trophy in its hand. Notebook Laurence Tieleman def. Galo Blanco 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Richard Krajicek (12) def. Lorenzo Manta 6-2, 6-4, 6-1.

Andrei Medvedev def. Sebastien Lareau 6-4, 6-1 6-0. John van Loflum def Ivan Ljubicic 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5). Nicolas Kiefer (15) def. Michael Kohlmann 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

Lleyton Hewitt def. Wayne Arthurs 6-2, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-4. Andre Agassi (2) def Axel Pretzsch 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. Marcelo Hios (10), Chile, def. George Bastl 4-6.

6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Vince Spadea def. Guillermo Canas 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 5-7. 3-6. 6-3.

Xavier Malisse def. Cecil Mamiit 3-6, 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (8-6). 6-2. Nicolas Escude def. Carlos Moya (8) 6-1, 6-4, 0-1, retired.

Justin Gimelstob def Daniel Vacek 6-2, 3-6, 2-6, 6-4. 6-3. Jan Kroslak def. Paul Goldstein 5-7, 6-4, 6-4, 6-3. Arnaud Clement def.

Michael Chang 6-3, 6-3, 6-4. WOMEN'S SINGLES, SECOND ROUND UVlIU Ml I U. Monica Seles (4) def. Silvia Farina 6-3. Magui Serna def.

Sandrine Testud (14) 6-3, 6-3. Julie Halard-Decugis (9) def. Li Fang 6-2, 6-4. Kim Clijsters def Adriana Gersi 6-3, 6-2. Amy Frazier def.

Natasha Zvereva 6-2. 6-4. Amelie Cocheteux def. Sylvia Plischke 6-3, 4-6. 6-3.

Serena Williams (7) def. Jelena Kostanic 6-4, 6-2. Angeles Montolio def. Paola Suarez 7-6 (7-5), 6-2. Sabine Appelmans def.

Samantha Reeves 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-3 Conchita Martinez (16) def. Alexia Dechaume-Balleret 6-0. 6-0. Ai Sugiyama, Japan, def. Karina Habsudova 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

Jennifer Capriati def. Seda Noorlander 5-7, 6-1 6-4. Elena Dementieva def. Fabiola Zuluaga 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 Nathalie Tauziat (11) def. Antonia Sanchez Lorenzo 7-5, 4-6, 6-1 Mary Pierce (5) def.

Gala Leon Garcia 6-2, 6-3. Lindsay Davenport (2) def. Ruxandra Dragomir 6-0, 6-2. WOMEN'S SINGLES, THIRD ROUND Venus Williams (3) def. Henrieta Nagyova walkover MEN'S DOUBLES, FIRST ROUND Michael Hill-Scott Humphries def.

Eduardo Nicolas-German Puentes 4-6. 6-2, 6-3; Brian MacPhie-Nenad Zimonjic def. Goran Ivanisevic-Jeff Tarango (13) 6-4, 2-6, 6-1; Ellis Ferreira-Rick Leach (8) def David DiLucia-Michael Sell 6-1 6-4; Jonas Bjorkman-Byron Black (7) def. Martin Damm-Max Mirnyi 6-7 (6-8), 6-1. 6-2; Marc-Kevin Goellner-Francisco Montana def.

Nicklas Kulti-Mikael Tillstrom (14) 6-3, 7-5; Jiri Novak-David Rikl (16) def Bob-Mike Bryan 7-6(7-1), 6-3; Jim Grabb-Jonathan Stark def. Mark Knowles-Daniel Nestor (9), 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Olivier Delaitre-Fabnce Santoro def. Kevin Kim-Cecil Mamiit 6-1, 6-1. MEN'S DOUBLES, SECOND ROUND in i SWSli't mm Sgrg5 h. That's something Venus would like to rectify in real life by winning the title at this U.S.

Open. As the No. 3 seed, she is a favorite here, although she will have to get through several tough opponents including perhaps Serena to win her first Grand Slam. The Palm Beach Gardens residents are on opposite sides of the draw, so they could not meet until the final, a prospect that has become the main buzz at a tournament struggling with the early departures of men's top seed Pete Sampras and two-time defending champion Patrick Rafter. "Now that would be really exciting, because either way, one of us would win our first Grand Slam," said Serena, who has won three WEATour titles but lost to Venus in the final of the Lipton Championships.

In all, Venus has seven titles, four this year. "When I am on my game, no one can beat me," Serena continued. "I definitely would (expect to win). I'm sure she would too, so it would be a very good match." Both sisters advanced Thursday, with Serena moving into the third round with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jelena Kostanic. Venus, already in the third round, earned a walkover into the fourth when her next opponent, Henrieta Nagyova, withdrew with a right wrist strain.

Agassi an angry winner Andre Agassi had some rough moments during his 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 victory, but few were caused by his opponent, Axel Pretzsch. Agassi instead got a tough time from the line judges, who made several calls he felt were wrong. By the third game of the third set he got so frustrated he exclaimed to the chair umpire, "I'm not taking that one that's ridiculous." When he saw that the umpire had no intention of overruling the call, he just tilted his head back and let out a holler, which earned him some applause from the crowd. Later in the same game, he let a ball go he thought was long. He thought the point earned him a key break on Pretzsch's serve, but the line judge called the ball good.

Agassi went over to his changeover chair and sat for a few seconds in frustration, then got up and won the game. "You kind of relax a little bit, thinking you've won the game, and then when you don't you have to regroup all over again and that's tough," he said. "It only takes a point or two to turn a set around." Moya out The men's draw lost another seed to injury when No. 8 Carlos Moya retired from his match against Nicolas Escude 6-1, 64, 1-0 with a back problem. Moya received treatment for the injury several times during the match.

mm Ben Ellwood-Michael Tebbutt def. Neil Broad, Tramacchi 6-4. 7-5; Mahesh Bhupathi-Leander Paes (1 India, def. Jan-Michael Gambill-Adam Peterson 7-6 (7-4), 7-5; Andrei Olhovskiy-David Prinosil def. David Adams-John-Laffnie de Jager (4) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6); Wayne Black-Sandon Stolle (6) def.

Pablo Albano-Tomas Carbonell 6-3, 6-4. WOMEN'S DOUBLES, FIRST ROUND UUUUUUUQ Bimwat f. 12 fir v'7 -ON THE BASKETSALL COURT I 1 VALUES 3S I I UP TO $80 Liezel Horn-Kimberly Po (16) def. Tiffany Brymer-Abigail Spears 6-2, 6-1: Nannie de Villiers-Jessica Steck def Erika de Lone-Nicole Pratt 7-6 (7-5), 4-6, 6-3; Nicole Arendt-Manon Bollegraf (15) def. Jelena Dokic-Tina Pisnik 6-2, 6-1; Florencia Labat-Dominique Van Roost def.

Annabel Ellwood-Rika Hiraki 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 6-3; Larisa Neiland, Sanchez-Vicario (6) def. Eva Martincova-Helena Vildova 6-1 6-2; Anke Huber-Anne-Gaelle Sidot def. Amelie Cocheteux-Patty Schnyder6-4, 6-4; Jana Novotna-Natasha Zvereva (1) def. Sandra Cacic-Maureen Drake 4-6, 6-0, 6-4; Lisa Raymond-Rennae Stubbs (7) def. Caroline Dhenin-Eva Melicharova 6-1 6-2; Amy Frazier-Katie Schlukebir def.

Kristina Brandi-Meilen Tu 6 3. 6-2; Serena-Venus Williams (5) def. Miho Saeki-Yuka Yoshida 6- 2, 6-3; Tina Krizan-Katarina Srebotnik def Alicia Ortuno-Cristina Torrens Valero 6-3, 6-0; Mary Joe Fernandez-Monica Seles (10) def. Asa Carlsson-Sonya Jeyaseelan 6-2, 7-5; Julie Halard-Decugis-Amelie Mauresmo def. Manaan de Swardt-Elena Tatarkova (8) 4-6, 7-5, 6-4; Virginia Ruano Pascual-Paola Suarez (13) def Lindsay Lee-Vanessa Webb 1-6, 7-5, 7-5; Chanda Rubin-Sandrine Testud def Brie Rippner-Tara Snyder 6-1 6-3; Lori McNeil-Alexandra Stevenson def.

Catharine Barclay-Rita Grande 6-1, 7- 6 (7-3); Silvia Farina-Karina Habsudova def Irina Spirlea, Romania, -Caroline Vis (9) 6-3, 6-3; Seda Noorlander-Patricia Wartusch def. Elena Likhovtseva-Ai Sugiyama (4), 1-6, 6-3, 6-3. TODAY'S TOP MATCHES: DAY SESSION Patty Schnyder vs. Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario (10) Anke Huber, Germany, vs. Jana Novotna (8) NIGHTSESSION Martina Hingis (1) vs.

Sandra Kloesel Jan-Michael Gambill vs. Fabrice Santoro Cnstiano Caratti vs Goran Ivanisevic Lindsay Davenport-Corina Morarlu (3) vs Nannie de Villiers-Jessica Steck k. I'm. ifii A. A lit mm Ut.Uiri..ylD WEST PALM BEACH: Cross rniintvWflll 4.4 DkPPrhnhPP Rlvr) STORE HOURS: MON-THUR FRI SAT 9am 10pm SUN 10am 8pm of ad.

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