Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open: Day 1

It was a battle of the big men and their serves. The two players had never met in ATP competition. In the end, ninth-seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bested Marat Safin 6-4 7-5 and dismissed the retiring Russian, who was playing in his last Madrid Open.

The match was close, but the difference was that Safin could not a make on dent on the Frenchman’s serve. He only had one break opportunity the entire match. Tsonga, on the other hand, had six opportunities and was able to take advantage twice.

Tsonga will now play Ivan Ljubicic in the next round. Tsonga leads Ljubicic 1-0 in their match-up. The Frenchman beat the Croat this year in the second round of the Australian Open.

Monday's Results
Singles First Round
9 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) def. Marat Safin (RUS) 6-4 7-5
11 Stanislas Wawrinka (SUI) def. Q Marco Crugnola (ITA) 6-2 6-0
12 David Ferrer (ESP) def. Q Guillermo Canas (ARG) 6-2 6-2
WC Juan Monaco (ARG) def. Feliciano Lopez (ESP) 6-4 7-5
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 6-3 6-3
WC Ivan Ljubicic (CRO) def. Q Teimuraz Gabashvili (RUS) 6-3 6-2
Mardy Fish (USA) def. Janko Tipsarevic (SRB) 7-6(3) 6-4
Simone Bolelli (ITA) def. Q Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) 7-5 7-6(3)
Q Tommy Haas (GER) def. Ernests Gulbis (LAT) 6-2 5-7 7-5
Florent Serra (FRA) def. Rainer Schuettler (GER) 6-2 6-4
Robin Soderling (SWE) def. LL Ivan Navarro (ESP) 6-4 6-2

Doubles First Round
S. Huss (AUS)/R .Hutchins (GBR) def. WC P. Andujar (ESP)/G. Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 4-6 7-5 10-7
F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) def. J. Knowle (AUT)/J. Melzer (AUT) 6-2 7-5

Tuesday’s Order of Play

Watch Live
The Tennis Channel – 6:00 AM EST

(Image: Javier Soriano/AFP/Getty Images)