nothing to dispel the notion yesterday, lighting up Coral Beach's Centre Court as well as opponent Jens Knippschild of Germany.

At 18, Roddick is already drawing comparisons to the legendary Pete Sampras, being proclaimed by Sampras himself as the future of American tennis, and while he may not yet possess the complete game of Pistol Pete, the talent is obvious.

Indeed, Knippschild discovered first hand the hazard of facing the Nebraska native, falling in straight sets 6-3, 6-4, as he was endlessly bombarded by the American's canon serve and ground-strokes to match during their XL Capital Open first round encounter.

Sixth seed Roddick got off to a flying start as he broke Knippschild in the second game. However, the German, whose receding hairline belies his 26-years, fought back gamely to break the American and draw the match back on serve.

The pair remained on serve until the eighth game, when Roddick made another crucial breakthrough to go up 5-3 and duly served out the set.

Roddick continued to motor in the second set, but, to his credit, so Knippschild too stepped up his game, matching his ballyhooed opponent stroke for stroke.

The German was finally undone when Roddick notched a break in the fifth game, which was all he needed, with the remaining games going according to serve.

Ironically Roddick finished matters off with a dose of finesse, a fluttering volley into the deuce court leaving Knippschild stranded.

"It was a good match, I played one sloppy service game in the first set right after I'd broken him, but besides that it was pretty solid tennis,'' said Roddick, whose status as a future superstar was enhanced by a recent defeat of none other than Sampras.

"He has a big serve and pretty good all around game, I had to stay solid throughout the match and the best thing I did was stay solid and not have any lapses where I gave away three or four games at any time, which I think is critical against a player like him.'' There was a brief moment when Roddick appeared to come unnerved, slamming his racket to the floor in disgust after Knippschild held in the sixth game of the first set.

However, Roddick described the mini tantrum as his way of disciplining himself.

"If I play a point and have two or three opportunities to go for a shot and I don't then, regardless of the score, I'm going to get on myself,'' explained Roddick. "That's what drives me ... I'm not satisfied easily and I feel that keeps me hungry.'' As for the all the promises of grandeur and the pressure on the shoulders of one so young, Roddick remains unfazed.

"I get that everywhere I go. A young American with a big serve is going to get those comparisons, but I don't really try to pay attention to them too much.

"If I can do a quarter than what Sampras has done I'll be a great player, but I don't focus on any of that. I'm going to focus on what I have to do, not what everybody else thinks.'' Enduring anything but smooth passage to the second round was third seeded Stefan Koubek of Austria, who was forced into a tempestuous battle against Argentina's David Nalbandian before coming away a 7-5, 4-6, 6-4 victor.

Battling his own emotions as well as the fierce baseline game of Nalbandian, Koubek came close to losing on both counts, his temper getting the best of him and drawing a warning for verbal obscenities from Brazilian umpire Roberto Almeida.

And while he may yet find himself lighter in the wallet for the tirade that came over a non-call, where Koubek felt his opponent hit the ball into the ground before going over the net, he remains in contention for the $14,000 first prize.

Koubek, a southpaw offering a gritty, baseline game somewhat in the mould of now retired countryman and clay court master Thomas Muster, was held to a virtual standstill by Nalbandian, the pair trading breaks in the first set before entering a tie-break, which Koubek took 7-3.

It seemed that Nalbandian might fold after the heartbreak of the opener, as he began the second by surrendering his service game.

But Nalbandian broke back in the sixth game and with Koubek frazzled by the controversial call in the ninth game, one that denied him a break chance, the Argentine stole another service game and the set to set up the decider.

Nalbandian seemed in command after going up 3-1, however Koubek, his emotions now restrained clawed back with breaks in the fifth and seventh games and was able to serve out the match.

Roddick lets rip From Page 17 "It (non-call) did take me off a bit, because it was a big point in the last game of the second set,'' said Koubek of his outburst. "I was a little angry after that, but I was able to come back and play very well.

"I think I played a very good match overall, it's only my second tournament on clay and I'm very happy with the way I played against a very good opponent.

He was playing unbelievable points all over and didn't make it easy.

"I feel good going into the next round ... I don't think the next opponent will be as tough as today, because he was playing very good.'' Elsewhere, qualifier Michael Russell upset Justin Gimelstob in straight sets.

In a classic David versus Goliath clash, with the 5' 7'' Russell dwarfed by the 6' 5'' spectre of Gimelstob, David indeed slayed the giant in stunning fashion, winning 6-2, 7-6 (7-5).

Scurrying about like a rabbit on legs as thick as tree trunks, Russell simply kept the ball in play, allowing his opponent's tendency to force points to work against him.

Gimelstob's efforts to manufacture winners on the slow clay courts were the recipe for his demise, as unforced errors were the result more often that not.

"I think the court played a little slower early on and that was to my advantage as I was able to get the ball up on him and take advantage of the fact that he doesn't play on clay that much,'' said Russell, a third time visitor to Bermuda. "The second set it played a little faster and he picked up his game a lot and served really well, putting pressure on me.

"I was just lucky to get that break back, played a solid breaker and was able to capitalise on a couple errors.

"This is four in a row here, but I've been playing well lately. I was in the final of a Challenger last week so I'm coming in with a lot of confidence and hopefully I can keep it rolling and keep chillin' in Bermuda.

"It's a nice place to be and I don't want to leave just yet.'' Stefan the furious: Stefan Koubeck may find himself forking out a few dollars in fines following an outburst on Centre Court.