20000131

Quack, quack!

MELBOURNE: A black-clad intruder impersonating a duck ran onto court during the Australian Open menÕs tennis final and started shouting: "Quack, quack!"

Defending champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov was trailing world number one Andre Agassi two sets to one when the man, wearing a yellow headdress or cap and a red bill around his mouth, ran out from a tunnel at KafelnikovÕs end of the court and began to film the crowd and players with a videocamera.

Security men rushed on to the court but the man evaded the first guard to reach him by jumping smartly over the net.

He gave up without a struggle and was bundled off court before the match resumed.

Agassi won in four sets.ÑReuters