1.   Sampras chose the two tournaments in Asia, both on fast hardcourt surfaces, as a warm-up for the clay court season.

2.   After winning the Lipton championships, she crossed the Atlantic, and began dominating the European clay court season with back-to-back triumphs at the German and Italian opens.

3.   Carlos Moya and Alex Corretja kept up what is becoming a Spanish tradition -- dominating the early clay court season.

4.   He was pulling his punches this time around, after earlier jabs at Americans for sitting out most of the European clay court season.

5.   Hingis is taking a three-week break before starting the European clay season.

6.   It was also his second title of the European clay court season following a victory at Estoril, the only player to accomplish that this spring.

7.   Rafter said he now plans to spend three weeks in Bermuda, taking a break from tournaments and practicing for the clay court season.

8.   Sanchez Vicario plans her clay court season around the Family Circle.

9.   The clay season already starts in late March in Europe and culminates with the French Open in late May.

10.   The two wins come on the heels of a mediocre clay court season for the Czech.