McEnroe, Rios Win Wednesday at Seniors Graz

John McEnroe came back from a set down to keep alive another potential meeting in a final with Marcelo Rios, on Wednesday defeating Carl-Uwe Steeb from a set down 2-6, 7-6(2), 10-5 (tiebreak) to win his opener at the Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions stop in Graz.

Steeb served for the win at 5-4 in the second set but McEnroe, wearing black Rafael Nadal-like pirate pants, won the second-set tiebreak and prevailed in the final-set breaker.

"I was in big trouble," McEnroe said. "(Steeb) was serving for it but I felt like if I could find my game there was always a chance. I picked it up at the right moment just before it was too late. I was lucky to win. Larsson (his next opponent who he has never faced) is big and dangerous. I haven't seen him a lot. I practiced with him today for the first time. It looks like he is playing well."

Marcelo Rios continued his unbeaten run in 2006 with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Alex Antonitsch, and will next face Goran Ivanisevic for a place in his fourth final of the year.

"I really want to see how I can perform against him," said Ivanisevic, who Wednesday beat Henri Leconte 6-3, 6-4. "Marcelo is playing well so maybe I'm the only guy that can beat him at the moment. He's 30 years old. If he wants to practice he can still beat 70 percent of the players on the ATP circuit. He could come back very easily. He is one of my favorite players ever, he is such a talented guy."

On Thursday in Graz are Henri Leconte vs. Antonitch, Thomas Muster vs. Steeb, and McEnroe vs. Larsson.

WORLD SENIOR RANKINGS presented by Tennis-X.com
(Top 10 through Aug. 13, 2006)

1. Marcelo Rios (1200 pts.)
2. John McEnroe (885)
3. Sergi Bruguera (730)
4. Cedric Pioline (650)
5. Pat Cash (610)
6. Jim Courier (600)
7. Thomas Muster (500)
8T. Renzo Furlan (400)
8T. Richard Krajicek (400)
8T. Todd Martin (400)

The World Senior Rankings presented by Tennis-X.com is a cumulative ranking for senior tour players combining results from the Merrill Lynch Tour of Champions in Europe, and the Outback Champions Series in the U.S.