Andre Agassi sent shockwaves reverberating through the Australian Open today by reeling off 18 consecutive games to send Korean Hyung-Taik Lee tumbling out in the second round.
Agassi picked off his stunned opponent in ruthless fashion on Rod Laver Arena, winning every game from his first serve onwards to seal a remarkable 6-1 6-0 6-0 scoreline.
The result was made all the more incredible because Lee was no novice and had been enjoying the best period of his career.
The Korean beat Juan Carlos Ferrero in the final of the adidas International last week, having entered the tournament as a qualifier, and then overcame dangerous Spaniard David Ferrer in the first round here.
But today's contest was ended in just 80 minutes by another sensational display of clean hitting and blistering winners from Agassi.
The victory was Agassi's most comprehensive ever in a grand slam match.
Elsewhere Spanish fifth seed Carlos Moya was knocked out by American Mardy Fish. Fish won, 3-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-4, 4-6, 6-2 and will play South African Wayne Ferreira in the next round.
In the women's event, there was a there was an early exit for Russian glamour girl Anna Kournikova, who was thrashed 6-0, 6-1 by Belgium's Justin Henin-Hardenne, seeded five.
Venus Williams eased into the third round with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Ansley Cargill of the United States.
Lindsay Davenport breathed a sigh of relief after scrambling past plucky Iroda Tulyaganova.
The 26-year-old former world number one, who a year ago was learning how to walk on crutches after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery, fought through a poor performance to prevail 6-7 (7/9) 6-4, 7-5.
PA/AFP