MELBOURNE, Australia -- Russia's Marat Safin has been fined $2,000 by the Australian Open tournament referee for failing to make an appropriate effort in his 7-6 (7-4), 6-4, 6-1 loss to South African qualifier Grant Stafford.

The 19-year-old Muscovite was penalized under a Grand Slam "best effort" rule, which dictates that: "A player shall use his best efforts to win a match. ... Violation of this section shall subject a player to a fine up to $10,000."

The Russian Davis Cup player was warned four times by American chair umpire Norm Chryst for apparently tanking against Stafford.

After one warning, Safin caught Stafford's serve in his hand instead of returning it with his racket.

Safin, who beat Mark Philippoussis, Thomas Enqvist, Nicolas Kiefer and Greg Rusedski last year, made 43 unforced errors and managed only seven winners against Stafford.

Three other men were also fined during the second round. Ukrainian Andrei Medvedev was fined $1,000 for using an "audible obscenity," and Goran Ivanisevic and Wayne Ferreira were each fined $500 for racket abuse violations.

Fading event
Doubles isn't what it used to be. The only top-ranked male player competing in doubles and singles is Yevgeny Kafelnikov. He's the No. 2 seed in singles and, with Wayne Ferreira, is 15th in doubles.

Tennis great Roy Emerson said men's doubles was becoming a non-event because the world's leading players have abandoned it. Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras stick to singles.

It wasn't always that way. John McEnroe, for example, used to awe crowds with his touch and flair in both events.

It's different with the women players. Martina Hingis and Lindsay Davenport are among top competitors who play doubles.

"Other people, like you guys, don't really pay attention to doubles," Anna Kournikova said during a news conference Wednesday. She's teamed up with Barbara Schett in doubles.

Someone special
Anna Kournikova joined the entourage of Mark Philippoussis in the stands to watch the Australian surge into the third round.

Ever the target of media questions about her romantic life, Kournikova coyly said during a news conference earlier Wednesday that her "somebody special" wasn't in Australia.

That person, she said, is "on the other side of the ocean."

The 18-year-old Russian has been linked to hockey star Sergei Fedorov, among others. The 11th seed reached the third round Wednesday with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Natasha Zvereva of Belarus.

Philippoussis, seeded 16th, defeated Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands 6-1, 2-6, 7-6 (4), 6-1.

Knee deep
Former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek injured his suspect left knee in a four-set, second-round loss to Frenchman Nicolas Escude and says he could require surgery.

The Dutch right-hander said he hurt his knee in the U.S. Open and aggravated it again at Melbourne Park.

"I made a little bit of a wrong move and I just hurt my knee," he said. "Now when I go back (to Europe) I'm going to the hospital -- maybe I have the operation again, I don't know. It is no fun to play like this."

Krajicek had arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in November 1998 to repair a torn medial meniscus.