CINCINNATI, 13 August 2003 — Defending champion Carlos Moya and twice former winner Michael Chang’s challenges imploded in startling but similar fashion in the first round of the $2.45 million Cincinnati Masters Series on Monday.

Moya, the Spanish world number seven and fourth seed here, was beaten 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 by Frenchman Fabrice Santoro. Chang, drawing closer to retirement, spurned a match point in his 4-6, 7-6, 6-0 defeat by Moroccan qualifier Hicham Arazi.

Elsewhere, sixth seed Guillermo Coria of Argentina struggled past Britain’s Tim Henman 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 and American James Blake posted a 6-1 7-6 victory over South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira.

In the night matches, Chilean 13th seed Fernando Gonzalez beat American Brian Vahaly 7-5, 6-2 and Todd Martin of the US eased past Argentine Jose Acasuso 6-3, 6-4.

Moya’s form in the opening set against Santoro gave no indication of the demise which was to follow.

However, as soon as he had surrendered a break at the start of the second set, Moya’s negative, hangdog expression surfaced.

Santoro, relying on his unorthodox style and sheer persistence against one of the game’s finest shotmakers, would have inflicted further embarrassment if he had not found difficulty in closing out the match from 5-1 up in the final set.

Moya, who beat Lleyton Hewitt in last year’s Cincinnati final, has now lost three first-round matches in succession following his tournament win in Umag, Croatia, last month.

Chang’s pain barrier this year — his farewell season ahead of retirement — has been less physical and all mental.

The former French Open champion, 31, had won only two matches on tour in 2003, so when he served for the match at 6-5 in the second set he sensed a welcome respite.

Arazi broke straight back but, with Chang holding a match point at 6-5 in the second set tiebreak, the scent of victory returned once more for the American. Alas, especially for his fans around centre court, it was simply overpowering.

He failed to deal with an Arazi passing shot and after conceding the tiebreak 9-7, Chang’s confidence drained away as quickly as the spectators. After a 27-minute final set, it was all over.

Henman’s compatriot, Greg Rusedski, fared better, knocking out 12th seed Jiri Novak of the Czech Republic 2-6, 7-6, 6-4.

Dementieva, Zvonareva Advance at Rain-Disrupted Toronto WTA

In Toronto, Canada, seeded Russians Elena Dementieva and Vera Zvonareva both advanced on Monday as rain disrupted the opening day of the $1.3 million WTA Tour Tier One hardcourt tournament.

Zvonareva, the 10th seed, beat Austrian Barbara Schett 6-1, 7-6 (7-3), in her first match of the summer hardcourt season.

She had not played a tournament since reaching the fourth round at Wimbledon last month due to a left elbow injury.

The 18-year-old Russian captured her first career title at the Croatian Bol Ladies Open on May 4. She has had a breakout season this year, having also advanced to the quarterfinals at Strasbourg and Vienna and quarterfinals at Tier I events at Indian Wells and Charleston.

Zvonareva got her win in before the rain hit, while ninth-seeded Dementieva took the court on Monday night after it had passed.

Dementieva downed Australian Alicia Molik 6-3, 7-6 (9-7). In an upset, unseeded Slovenian Katarina Srebotnik defeated No. 11 Silvia Farina Elia, 6-4, 7-5.

In other notable matches, Indonesia’s Angelique Widjaja dispatched Switzerland’s Emmanuelle Gagliardi, 6-2, 6-2, Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano rolled past Spanish qualifier Arantxa Parra, 6-2, 6-4, and Spain’s Magui Serna bounced Tina Pisnik of Slovenia 7-5, 6-3.

Also, Fabiola Zuluaga of Colombia defeated American Meilen Tu 6-3, 6-2, and Virginia Ruano Pascual of Spain topped American Laura Granville 6-3, 6-3.

Kim Clijsters of Belgium, the new world No. 1, received a bye into the second round as one of the top eight seeds.