Mirnyi brings down Kuerten in Stuttgart

Qualifier Max Mirnyi survived two match points to tame top seed Gustavo Kuerten in three sets on Tuesday in a dramatic conclusion to the second day of the Stuttgart Masters Series tournament.

The giant from Belarus, who had taken the Brazilian to five sets in a third round match at the U.S. Open, fought back from 0-40 down in the last game for a sensational 4-6 7-6 6-4 win.

ATP Champions Race leader Kuerten, who had a bye into the second round and was playing his first match in the prestigious indoor event, faces a fight to finish the year in top spot for the second consecutive year.

Andre Agassi and Lleyton Hewitt, currently second and third behind the French Open champion in the Race standings, can still catch him up and could even knock him off top spot this week.

Kuerten missed many chances while his opponent lived up to his reputation as one of the most intimidating players on the tour.

"It's very frustrating because I had my chances," said Kuerten after failing to improve on a poor start to his indoor season.

UNDER PRESSURE

"This is a tough moment for me, there's a lot of pressure," he added, referring to the race to end the year at number one.

"He doesn't hurt me too much," Mirnyi said of Kuerten, whom he has now beaten twice in three encounters.

"I know that if I stay in control and don't make too many mistakes, I will beat him."

Kuerten started smoothly, using an early lead to take the first set in just 30 minutes.

Both players dropped serve once in the second set and a tie-break was needed, in which Kuerten came back from 4-1 down to win two match points.

But he missed a volley on the first and Mirnyi hit a winner on the second before an unforced error from Kuerten enabled him to win it 8-6 and force a third set.

Mirnyi broke Kuerten to open up a 3-2 lead in the decisive set and stayed on top until the final game, in which the Brazilian squandered three break chances before an ace from his opponent pushed him out of the tournament.

"I managed to dictate play from the baseline and to trouble him when bringing my game forward," said Mirnyi, who had also had two match points against him in qualifying.

"This victory gives me lots of confidence for the matches to come."

HEWITT SWEATS

The highest other seed in action on Tuesday, third seed Hewitt, was made to work, fighting back from one set down to beat Czech Bohdan Ulihrach 3-6 6-3 6-4.

The U.S. Open champion looked clumsy at times but was as combative as ever on his way to extending an impressive winning streak.

The 20-year-old Australian, who lost to South Africa's Wayne Ferreira in five sets in the final here last year but is still chasing his first win in a Masters Series event, has now gone 15 matches without defeat.

Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic also made the third round by overpowering Australia's Mark Philippoussis 7-6 3-6 6-3 in the battle of the big servers.

Philippoussis, who has only recently returned to action after a career-threatening knee injury, fired more aces and hit more winners but Ivanisevic made the important points to survive a tight contest with virtually no rallies.

Ivanisevic, the 13th seed, will now take on Mirnyi in an appetising third round clash.

Britain's Tim Henman, the seventh seed, brushed aside German qualifier Axel Pretzsch 6-3 6-0 without any problems.

Defending champion Ferreira moved through to the third round as well, upsetting 11th seed Roger Federer 7-6 3-6 6-2.