COMMACK, AUG 20: Todd Woodbridge of Australia, a member of the top doubles team in the world who wants to earn similar recognition in singles, defeated qualifier Jamie Oncins of Brazil 6-3, 6-4 in the first round of the Hamlet Cup yesterday.

Mark Woodforde, Woodbridge's countryman and doubles partner, was not as successful as Marc-Kevin Goellner of Germany rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-2 triumph.

The Australian duo owns 45 Grand Slam doubles titles, including the last five at Wimbledon.

In other matches, fifth-seeded Carlos Moya of Spain, a finalist in this year's Australian Open where he lost to Sampras, beat countryman Javier Sanchez 0-6, 7-5, 6-2, Julian Alonso, a qualifier from Spain, rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-0 win over Christian Ruud of Norway and Jonas Bjorkman of Sweden routed Carlos Costa of Spain 6-2, 6-0. Costa was the replacement for Petr Korda of the Czech Republic who withdrew on Tuesday after injuring his ankle in practice on Monday.

KORDA INJURED, DOUBTFUL FOR US OPEN: Petr Korda of the Czech Republic, ranked 16th in the world, has withdrawn from the Hamlet Cup because of a severely sprained left ankle. He is doubtful for next week's US Open.

Korda, 29, seeded 16th for the US Open, was injured during a practice session on Monday. He reached the quarter-finals of the 1995 US Open, his best finish in a Grand Slam.

Tarango prevails

BROOKLYN: Jeff Tarango beat Alex O'Brien 6-2, 6-7 (3-7), 6-3 in the opening round of the MFS Pro Championships at Longwood Cricket Club yesterday, one day after O'Brien was named to the US Davis cup team.

O'Brien, who is ranked 62nd in the world, will be joined in the Davis Cup semifinals against Australia in Washington, DC, next month by Pete Sampras, Michael Chang and Jim Courier.

In other matches involving seeded players, No 5 Albert Costa of Spain breezed past Dominick Hrbaty of Slovakia 6-2, 6-2, and No 6 Greg Rusedski of Britain defeated Mikael Tillstrom of Sweden 6-1, 3-6, 6-3.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.