In Prague last week the Russian was defeated in the first round by Australia's

In Prague last week, the Russian was defeated in the first round by Australia's Richard From-berg, but the result did not stop Kafelnikov from moving 15 points ahead of Sampras, who took the week off to nurse a back injury. The American is four weeks short of overtaking Ivan Lendl's record total of 270 weeks at No 1.The top two are absent from this week's German Open in Hamburg, Kafelnikov having picked up a virus (though not from the computer), and Sampras easing his dodgy back towards Rome, where both are due to play in the Italian Open next week. By then Moya may have returned to the top, or the Dutchman Richard Krajicek may have become the 17th world No 1. Both need to win the Hamburg title and defeat opponents whose ranking afford the necessary bonus points.Next year there will be a new ranking system, a year-long race for No 1 from January to November similar to the current race to the ATP Tour Championship in Hanover. It will replace the rolling 52-week period, which will be retained for the purpose of seedings.The ATP Tour, which hopes the new system will be easier for the public to follow, has yet to find a suitable name to convey that the weekly lists are standings, with rankings reserved until the race is over. Critics of the change argue that regular movement at the top of the list, with little known players flitting in and out like fireflies, will devalue the status of the rankings. Supporters of the change point out that other sports have league tables, and the sight of Wimbledon, for example, at the top of the Premiership in August does not necessarily mean they will be there when the trophies are presented.Rainer Schuttler, who defeated Henman in the final of the first ATP Tour event this year in Qatar, would have led the standings on 11 January, but only sustained form would have kept him there.Kafelnikov's triumph at the Australian Open, the year's first Grand Slam tournament, gave him the points and momentum to keep his name at the top of the race to Hanover for most of the season so far.

Success at the four Grand Slams is the true measure of excellence, the reason why the cream will always rise to the top.That is why Kafelnikov, in spite of his recent lapses, is entitled to say: "I think that I merit to be No 1."SIX FALSE STEPS TO THE TOPTHE FOIBLES of the ATP Tour ranking system, based on players' best 14 results over a rolling 52-week period, enabled Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov to become the world No 1 yesterday, in spite of losing his last six opening tournament matches since being denied a place in the semi-finals of the Guardian Direct Cup by Sweden's Thomas Johansson indoors in Battersea Park on 26 February.8 March - Indian Wells, California (concrete): lost to Gustavo Kuerten 6-0, 6-7, 3-6.15 March - Key Biscayne, Florida (concrete): lost to Vince Spadea 7-6, 6-7, 2-6.5 April - Estoril (clay): lost to Andrei Pavel 3-6, 6-2, 3-6.12 April - Barcelona (clay): lost to Franco Squillari 2-6, 4-6.19 April - Monte Carlo (clay): lost to Ivan Ljubicic 1-6, 2-6.26 April - Prague (clay): lost to Richard Fromberg 4-6, 6-2, 4-6.. Salford Reds 6 Wigan Warriors 46 SALFORD ARE all on their own at the foot of the Super League table after squandering a bright start and being overrun last night by visitors putting their own recent slump in form behind them. A destructive burst of five Wigan tries in 11 minutes midway through the second half - with Jason Robinson completing a hat-trick - showed the vast difference between the sides. They will not face opponents as sharp and eager as this every week, but it is not easy to see where Salford's first win is coming from. They were at least able to welcome back Darren Brown, who looked potentially so influential before his injury, while Wigan, beaten in their previous two games, were still without Paul Johnson and started with Robinson at full-back.Brown's first contribution was startling. After Andy Farrell had kicked straight into touch, the Australian second rower led the Salford attack, putting Hudson Smith through a gap to set up the position for Carl Briggs' try.Wigan could have been in further trouble had Paul Highton been credited with a try that he appeared to have scored, Salford playing with vastly greater enthusiasm than in some of their recent outings. Then, however, Robinson took advantage of his free role, taking the ball as first receiver to surge past a series of defenders for a wonderful individual try, Farrell's conversion tying the scores.Tony Smith's injury has meant that Wigan's supporters have not yet seen their side's new midfield triangle in full cry. They saw it after 15 minutes, though, when Greg Florimo's reverse pass released Farrell and Smith romped through in support to score.There was another effective combination to produce Wigan's next try, Smith running from the scrum base after Neil Cowie had been held over a line and Florimo taking his half-back partner's pass to go over.

Farrell's third goal ensured that Wigan, after their unstable start, were well in control by half-time.Salford could have responded immediately after the break had Brown been able to hold Paul Carige's pass. It was a chance they needed to take if they were to get back into the match.With Florimo off the field, Wigan lacked some of their earlier fluency, but 14 minutes into the half Smith threw an inviting ball to Wes Davies on the right wing and Billy Boston's grandson did well to use the limited space available to touch down.Direct from the kick-off, Wigan scored again, their initial thrust seeming to have missed its mark when the ball went to ground but the alert Robinson, revelling in his role, scooped it up to score.Three minutes later, Robinson was over again, racing away from half-way, and Wigan showed every sign of running away with the game when Smith exploited a gap after he had taken Mark Reber's pass.Liam Bretherton joined in the fun for Wigan as the final scoreline left Andy Gregory to ponder what on earth could be done to revive his struggling side.Salford Reds: Thompson; Hayes, Martin, Hewitt, Carige; Blakeley, Briggs; Baynes, Lee, Southern, H Smith, Brown, Highton. Substitutes used: J Faimalo, Morley, Ayres, Bradbury.Wigan Warriors: Robinson; Davies, Moore, Connolly, Jones; Florimo, T Smith; Cowie, Reber, Goldspink, Cassidy, Betts, Farrell. Substitutes used: Mestrov, O'Connor, Gilmour, Bretherton.Referee: S Presley (Castleford).. THE CASTLEFORD forward Lee Harland was accused of faking injury as the Tigers battled out an 18-18 draw with 12-man Bradford in a gripping Super League game at Wheldon Road yesterday. The Bulls prop forward Paul Anderson was sent off in the 74th minute following a clash that left Harland prostrate on the ground.

Anderson appeared to lead with his forearm as he carried the ball into the tackle, and the St Helens referee, Steve Ganson, did not hesitate in giving him his marching orders. Harland, who played on after receiving treatment, was immediately condemned by the angry Bradford coach, Matthew Elliott. "The bloke that got hit laid on the ground when he wasn't hurt," he claimed "It makes me sick. Rugby league players shouldn't do that."Bradford, who had led for most of the game, had just gone 18-16 behind when reduced to 12 men, but loose forward Steve McNamara rescued a point with a fifth successful kick at goal four minutes from the end in a grandstand finish to a match played at breakneck speed in sultry conditions.The Castleford coach, Stuart Raper, described the result as a point lost and was also critical of the referee, who several times held up play to consult his touch judges. "I'm left scratching my head about some of the decisions," he said. "I thought it was a point lost."Castleford, urged on by their biggest-ever Super League crowd of 10,122, lost Danny Orr with a knee injury midway through the second half but looked to have stolen victory when they took the lead for the first time with Gael Tallec's 72nd-minute try.The Tigers, who went into the game with the best defensive record in Super League, outscored the visitors by three tries to two - but defeat would have been tough on either side.Bradford, bolstered by the return of Robbie and Henry Paul from international duty, were thankful to McNamara for all their first-half points as he scored three goals and a try.Castleford's persistence paid off when their long-serving prop forward Dean Sampson knocked defenders flying on a 10-metre barge to the line to grab his first score of the season and the 50th of his 10-year career.Castleford, trailing 10-6 at half-time, clawed back the deficit to just two points with an Orr penalty and Bradford lost Stuart Spruce to a professional foul that earned the full-back a spell in the sin bin.But the Bulls made light of their numerical disadvantage to extend their lead on 50 minutes when Robbie Paul touched down, McNamara's fourth goal making it 16-8.Castleford's prospects looked bleak when Orr was helped off with a knee injury, but they clawed their way back in the dramatic finale.Warrington Wolves continued their impressive start to the season with a 40-4 win over Sheffield, while Hull's Rob Nolan grabbed two tries to give his side their first win of the season at the eighth attempt, a 29- 22 win at Wakefield. It enabled Hull to climb off the foot of the Super League table and lifted some of the pressure on their coach, Peter Walsh.Two tries apiece from winger Matt Daylight and substitute Andrew Hick helped Gateshead record their fourth consecutive win, a 36-10 victory over Huddersfield at the Thunderdome in front of an improved crowd of 2,616..

Richmond 23 Harlequins 30 IN THE old days this would have been a derby, but the move to Reading has wiped out that element and the only thing going for this game was the race to Europe in which Harlequins still feature It did not grab the crowds, nor the Quins fans though. The glorious Bank Holiday weather failed to bring out the hordes and left only a handful of hard-core supporters to fill the concrete bowl of the Madejski Stadium. Thierry Lacroix scored 20 of Harlequins' points in a match that fluctuated between dazzling and downright incompetent. Victory leaves Harlequins in fourth place in the Allied Dunbar Premiership and, more importantly, just one win away from a place in Europe, but they will have to play a lot better than this at Bath on Saturday.Richmond were spirited and never gave up, probing and testing the opposition defences until the end. Unfortunately, they were unable to finish off Quins when they had them on the ropes even though they outscored them by four tries to three, and there could have been another two.Craig Quinnell's touchdown was disallowed because of an obstruction, then Allan Bateman had a great opportunity. He could have passed to his left to the waiting Lee Best, instead he went over himself, but rather than touching down immediately he attempted to get closer to the posts and that gave the desperate Quins' defenders the time they needed to get between the ball and the ground and hold him up.In the end defence was probably what won it for Quins. Richmond at times looked ragged and slow of thought when defending, in direct contrast to the sharpness with which they attacked.However, for all the mistakes there were some fine moments, including Jason Keyter's decisive try for Quins, which was set up by a superb cut- out pass from Jamie Williams on the hour.Richmond, too, gave the crowd something to cheer with two of their tries. Bateman's first was the culmination of some fine handling by the home backs before the Wales international centre went outside Keyter as if he were not there to put Richmond into the lead.That was followed by the try which put them back into the lead at 18- 17 in first-half injury time.