THERE was an outbreak of player power in New York this weekend after Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov stalked off home muttering darkly of foul play. The French Open champion, ranked fourth in the world, was infuriated by his demotion to seventh seed in the US Open championships, which begin today.

Kafelnikov received backing from his fellow professionals yesterday. At a meeting attended by many of the leading players, including the US Open champion and world Number One Pete Sampras, there was solid support for adhering to the ATP rankings at all four Grand Slams, including Wimbledon.

The official line was that Kafelnikov's late withdrawal was because of a rib injury. The Russian was a good deal more forthright. "I'm going home because I don't want to be part of a tournament which does things like this. I've been having treatment and my ribs feel better but my head is completely gone because of what they have done. I'm completely frustrated."

However, the same players who backed the Russian have not always seen eye to eye about how their rankings are formulated, with the Americans constantly casting doubts on Thomas Muster's Number Two world ranking gained because of his overwhelming dominance on clay courts.

The ATP ranking are based on a player's top 14 results over 52, weeks. The US Tennis Association, like their French and Australian counterparts, usually stick rigidly with these rankings for their seedings.

Les Snyder, the president of the USTA was defiant. "If Kafelnikov is not playing because of a snub, and not injury, then think he's opening himself to some scorn.

However, Mark Miles, head of the ATP Tour, backed the Russian's parting comments. "It is absolutely unacceptable and unfair the way the US Open handled this draw and it's completely unfair to Yevgeny who has fought all year for the Number Four ranking."

The USTA wanted to fill his vacant position in the draw with Germany's Michael Stich but they bowed to further protest and inserted Spain's Felix Mantilla, ranked Number 16, who was left out of the original seedings. It is understood that Spanish players had threatened a boycott if the USTA ignored Mantilla's world ranking.