The 2002 Franklin Templeton Men's Tennis Classic may not have the stellar draw it has had in the recent past, but it should still continue to be a valuable and telling warm-up for the first Tennis Masters Series tournament of the year next week in Indian Wells. Perhaps the Scottsdale tournament should consider covering the two show courts with some clay as eight players from Spain and six players from South America are entered in the main draw.

Three-time winner of the event, Andre Agassi is seeded #1 and looks to continue his successful comeback from a wrist injury after reaching the final of the Siebel Open this past week. However, the one man he did not want to see in his path this time around is waiting for him in the first round. Francisco Clavet, the Franklin Templeton defending champion, has taken Agassi out of the event the past two years. Amazingly this will be the fourth time in six career meeting that the two will face off in Scottsdale. No matter who prevails, they face a challenge in this tricky quarter that includes Greg Rusedski, Juan Ignacio Chela, and the fifth-seeded Alex Corretja.

Wildcard Tommy Haas headlines the bottom the draw with the #2 seed. The German hopes to overcome recent injury problems and recapture the game that sent him to the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year. Haas opens against fellow wildcard, Carlos Moya, in the first round and is scheduled to meet #8 Sjeng Schalken in the quarters.

Pete Sampras is the #3 seed and is competing in only his second tournament of the year after falling to Marat Safin in the fourth round of the Australian Open. Sampras may be bringing along new coach, Jose Higueras, after recent shifts from long-time coach Paul Annacone and a brief stint earlier this year with Tom Gullikson. Sampras has never performed well here in Scottsdale where his brother Gus serves as tournament director. Sampras opens up against qualifier Byron Black and would meet #7 Xavier Malisse in the quarterfinals should the seeds hold. Also lurking in this quarter of the draw are veteran Wayne Ferreira and rising American James Blake. The eyes of eager fans and tournament staff also can not avoid the potential for an Agassi-Sampras semifinal.

Look for match reports from the 2002 Franklin Templeton later this week.