Agassi Hoping to Compete This Week at ATP Los Angeles

Andy Roddick's pull with the "sore knee" and Andre Agassi's chronic back problem leave the ATP stop in L.A. in a precarious situation, with No. 2 seed Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty set to possibly become the tournament's iffy main-gate card if Agassi ends up pulling, or more likely losing early.

Agassi and Hrbaty are joined among the seeds by Germans Nicolas Kiefer and Tommy Haas, American Taylor Dent, Croat Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, Frenchman Sebastien Grosjean and Brit Greg Rusedski.

Although the field lacks star power, early-round match-ups of interest abound in (6) Baby Goran vs. Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, (4) Haas vs. the giant "Dr." Ivo Karlovic, (5) Dent vs. countryman Mardy Fish (if Fish doesn't pull with the wrist injury), the hot-handed Indy winner Robby Ginepri vs. Aussie serving machine Wayne Arthurs, and (3) Kiefer vs. (WC) James Blake.

Haas beat Kiefer in last year's final, while the Bryan brothers tamed the Aussie duo of Arthurs/Hanley.

Returning champs in the final are Haas (2004) and the three-time champ Agassi (2002-01,'98).

On tap for Monday in L.A. are (WC) Goldstein vs. Saulnier, (7) Grosjean vs. Mello, Srichaphan vs. (6) Ancic, Malisse vs. H.-T. Lee, Carlsen vs. K.Kim, and Chela vs. Baghdatis.