1.   Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs walked off the indoor carpet, slump-shouldered losers in the home run race and the wild-card race.

2.   Superior fitness was certainly part of it as he wore rivals into the asphalt, clay, and indoor carpets.

3.   A ball eight percent bigger in diameter than standard balls will be introduced for fast grass courts and some indoor carpets from January.

4.   Although the fast indoor carpet is his favorite surface, Federer has lost in the first round in two of his last three tournaments.

5.   Becker used the fast indoor carpet surface to his full advantage, needing just over two hours to beat the Mexican.

6.   Bjorkman slipped on the fast indoor carpet near the net but still recovered to win the point.

7.   But Becker is a different player on an indoor carpet surface.

8.   Despite dropping the second set, Dragomir moved on to secure the expected victory against Hrdlickova on the fast indoor carpet.

9.   He slipped on the fast indoor carpet near the net but still recovered to win the point.

10.   However two of the last three times they played has been on indoor carpet and the French woman won in three sets each time.