Top-seeded Andre Agassi moved into the quarterfinals at the $380,000 Mercedes-Benz Cup with a straight-set victory over fellow American Kevin Kim. Agassi, who returned to the court this week for the first time since the French Open, earned a 6-2, 7-5 victory on Thursday. Before this week, Agassi had been sidelined with a back injury and hadn't played since losing to Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in the first round at Roland Garros. The 35-year-old Agassi, who titled here in 1998, 2001 and 2002 and was the runner-up in 1999, reached his eighth quarterfinal of the year. However, he has yet to appear in a final in 2005. The legendary Agassi hasn't won a title since defeating Australian Lleyton Hewitt at the Tennis Masters Series Cincinnati event last August. Also victorious was red-hot American Robby Ginepri, as the 22-year-old posted a 6-3, 7-6 (7-2) win over countryman James Blake. Ginepri, who claimed his second-ever ATP singles title by triumphing this past week in Indianapolis, has now won eight straight matches overall. In other second-round play, Thai Paradorn Srichaphan stopped American Paul Goldstein 6-1, 6-4 and Gilles Muller of Luxembourg downed American Zack Fleishman 6-3, 7-5 at the Los Angeles Tennis Center at UCLA. Srichaphan will face Agassi while Ginepri will meet Fleishman in Friday's quarterfinals. This week's titlist will collect $52,000.