Spain's Carlos Moya picked up a cool US$120,000 for 98 minutes work yesterday, beating a tired Marat Safin 6-4, 7-5 in the opening match of the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup.
The Spanish former world number one withstood an early barrage of Russian power to take a quick lead in the Red Group of the US$3.7 million event.
Australia's Lleyton Hewitt takes on French Open champion Albert Costa in the second Red Group match later while Juan Carlos Ferrero opens up Gold Group action against Roger Federer.
Andre Agassi, the only player who can remove Hewitt from the world number one spot this week, must wait until today before he faces Czech Jiri Novak.
The top two players in each group go through to the semifinals of the event, the richest held in China.
Fatigue, both mental and physical, got the better of Safin who still has a Davis Cup final ahead of him later this month when Russia take on France.
"It is a long season. A really long season for me and it is tough," he said. "You know it could go either way and this time he won. What can I say? That is life."
Early in the match the Russian's immense power and sheer size left the contest resembling one of China's great sporting passions -- table tennis -- as he flicked balls away for winner after winner.
But Moya held on, his green shirt slowly darkening under the strain of his exertions as he chased down Safin's pummelled groundstrokes.
The Spaniard got the early break for a 3-2 lead but a series of sizzling winners and a double fault allowed the Russian to level.
Another break in the ninth game let Moya serve for the opening set and he made no mistake, wrapping it up in 48 minutes.
The Chinese are said to be embracing the Tennis Masters Cup wholeheartedly.
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