Briton Andy Murray and Juan-Carlos Ferrero of Spain got off to winning starts at the ATP Marseille Open on Tuesday advancing to the second round in straight sets.
Baghdatis also moves forward with a straight sets win over Clement
MARSEILLE: Briton Andy Murray and Juan-Carlos Ferrero of Spain got off to winning starts at the ATP Marseille Open on Tuesday advancing to the second round in straight sets.
Fourth seed Murray beat Dutch qualifier Jesse Huta Galung 6-4 6-4 in 72 minutes and was later joined by Ferrero, seeded fifth, who eliminated South Korea’s Hyung-Taik Lee 6-4 6-1 in 88 minutes.
Murray looked rusty early on against 190th-ranked Galung as both players struggled on serve, but after pocketing that he looked firmly in control and will next play Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, who came through a tough three setter against homeboy Sebastien Grosjean.
World number 15 Ferrero achieved his fourth win against 46th-ranked Lee in five meetings and will play Nicolas Mahut in the second round after the Frenchman saw off Russian qualifier Michail Elgin 6-3 6-3.
Marcos Baghdatis, the Cypriot seed sixth, ousted Frenchmen Arnaud Clement in straight sets. Kuerten ends with a loss
Gustavo ‘Guga’ Kuerten lost for the second time in as many days at the Brasil Open, playing his last match as a professional in his home country.
The three-time French Open champ lost 7-5 6-1 to Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq in a first-round match at this seaside resort in north eastern Brazil. On Monday, Kuerten and countryman Andre Baran lost 6-3 6-3 to Italy’s Fabio Fognini and Filippo Volandri in doubles.
The 31-year-old Kuerten, who was ranked No. 1 in December 2000 but hasn’t won a title since 2004, announced last month he will retire from professional tennis after the French Open, which starts May 26 in Paris.
“It’s sad to see your career come to an end,” said a teary-eyed Kuerten, who has struggled with a chronic hip injury. “I tried. I played a good first set, but afterward I just didn’t have any strength left in me. I have lived many great moments and this is one of them.”
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}