The Germans are off to a good start. Nicolas Kiefer rallied to defeat Ernest Gulbis 2-6 6-3 6-2 after 92 minutes of play. The Latvian youngster has shown promise in previous years. Gulbis continues to struggle this year and recently fired his coach.

As for Kiefer, he now advances to play Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, who handled Evgeny Korolev pretty easily. The two players have never met in ATP competition. It will be the battle of the veteran versus the youngster.

The other German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who won the singles and doubles titles in 2007, advanced over compatriot Bjorn Phau after Phau had to retire due to a hand injury. He awaits the winner of the Cilic-Kindlmann match.


Sunday Results
Singles First Round
Nicolas Almagro (ESP) def. Jan Hernych (CZE) 6-3 6-4

Doubles First Round
E. Gulbis (LAT)/I. Kunitsyn (RUS) def. P. Starace (ITA)/M. Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 6-3 6-4

Monday Results
And The Qualifiers Are . . .
Thiemo De Bakker (NED) def. Marco Crugnola (ITA) 4-6 6-1 6-2
Dieter Kindlmann (GER) def. Stephane Bohli (SUI) 6-2 6-4
Alexander Peya def. Lamine Ouahab (ALG) 6-4 6-2
Sascha Kloer (GER) def. Amer Delic (USA) 7-5 4-6 7-6(0)

Singles First Round
Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) def. Ivo Minar (CZE) 6-3 7-6(5)
Nicolas Kiefer (GER) def. Ernest Gulbis (LAT) 2-6 6-3 6-2
Philipp Kohlschreiber (GER) def. Bjorn Phau (GER) 6-2 2-1 Ret’d
Jeremy Chardy (FRA) def. Evgeny Korolev (RUS) 6-3 6-3

Doubles First Round
WC D. Gremelmayr (GER)/ D. Meffert (GER) def. Alt P. Marx(GER)/F. Moser (GER) 3-6 6-3 10-1
4 R. Bopanna (IND)/T. Parrott (USA) def. N. Almagro (ESP)/S. Prieto (ARG) 6-4 5-7 10-8

Tuesday’s Matches
Singles First Round
2 Marin Cilic (CRO) vs. Q Dieter Kindlmann (GER)
4 Tomas Berdych (CZE) vs. Q Sascha Kloer (GER)
5 Rainer Schuettler (GER) vs. Q Thiemo De Bakker (NED)
7 Paul-Henri Mathieu (FRA) vs. LL Lamine Ouahab (ALG)
8 Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) vs. Potito Starace (ITA)
WC Andreas Beck (GER) vs. Mischa Zverev (GER)
Martin Vassallo Arguello (ARG) vs. Denis Gremelmayr (GER)
Q Alexander Peya (AUT) vs. Julien Benneteau (FRA)
WC Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Philipp Petzschner (GER)
WC Daniel Brands (GER) vs. Stefan Koubek (AUT)
LL Stephane Bohli (SUI) vs. Simone Bolleli (ITA)

Doubles First Round
2 A. Fisher (AUS)/J. Kerr (AUS) vs. Alt M. Crugnola (ITA)/C. Haggard
N. Kiefer (GER)/M. Zverev (GER) vs. J. Cerretani (USA)/J. Chardy (FRA)

Tuesday’s Order of Play

(Image: dpa)

The top thirty slots are the same as last week. The players, who did well last week, received a pay off this week. The movers this week are:

• Fueled by his title win yesterday, Juan Carlos Ferrero rockets 40 spots to 75. Phew!
• Evegeny Korolev jumps 11 spots to 72.
• German Bjorn Phau skips 7 spots to 70.
• Tommy Haas moves up 5 to 81.
• American Wayne Odesnik jumps 23 spots to 77.
• Lleyton Hewitt moves up 31 spots to 57 after winning Houston yesterday.
  

The second day of the tournament was a good day for the Germans. Bjorn Phau, ATP world number 77, upset Mardy Fish 6-3 5-7 6-3. In the next round, Phau will play Scoville Jenkins. The two players have never met in an ATP event.

Veteran player Tommy Haas had a routine win over countryman Denis Gremelmayer 6-3 6-3. Haas, who celebrated his 31st birthday a few days ago, will play the sixth seed Marcel Granollers. The two players have never played in an ATP event, though Haas won the title in 2004.

It was not the best day for the American singles players. The top seeds James Blake and Mardy Fish lost. Fifth seed Sam Querrey pulled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury. Fellow American, Amer Delic replaced Querrey and then lost to Chilean Paul Capdeville after winning the first set.

Taylor Dent, John Isner and Scoville Jenkins won their matches after losing the first set and then rallied to win in three sets. On the doubles side, the reliable Bryan brothers won their match against Jeremy Chardy and Brian Dabul 7-6(5) 6-3.

The last Argentine player left in the singles draw, Guillermo Canas dealt Blake his loss 6-4 6-4. This is the Canas’ second win this year. He will play Evgeny Korolev in the next round. In 2007, Canas came out on top in their only meeting.

The lone Frenchman in the tournament, Jeremy Chardy took no time defeating Jesse Levine 6-3 6-0 after 61 minute of work. He will meet Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the second round. The two players have never met in ATP play. On paper, Chardy should have no trouble with the Spaniard.

Tuesday’s Results
Singles First Round
Guillermo Canas (ARG) def. 1 James Blake (USA) 6-4 6-4
Bjorn Phau (GER) def. 2 Mardy Fish (USA) 6-3 5-7 6-3
4 Jeremy Chardy (FRA) def. LL Jesse Levine (USA) 6-3 6-0
6 Marcel Granollers (ESP) def. Brian Dabul (ARG) 2-6 6-4 6-1
Paul Capdeville (CHI) def. Amer Delic* (USA) 6-7(5) 7-6(5) 6-1
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) def. 7 Diego Junqueira (ARG) 6-0 6-2
Tommy Haas (GER) def. Denis Gremelmayr (GER) 6-3 6-3
WC John Isner (USA) def. Q Michael Russell (USA) 4-6 6-3 6-2
WC Taylor Dent (USA) vs. Marcos Daniel (BRA)
Sergio Roitman (ARG) def. Agustin Calleri (ARG) 6-3 6-3
Q Scoville Jenkins (USA) def. Q Alexander Peya (AUT) 0-6 6-4 6-3
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) def. Q Giovanni Lapentti (ECU) 1-6 6-0 6-2
*Replaces 5 seed Sam Querrey (USA)

Doubles First Round
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) def. J. Chardy (FRA)/B. Dabul (ARG) 7-6(5) 6-3
2 A. Fisher (AUS)/J. Kerr (AUS) def. J. Melzer (AUT)/A. Peya (AUT) 3-6 6-4 10-7
J. Cerretani (USA)/D. Norman (BEL) def. 4 S. Huss (AUS)/R. Hutchins (GBR) 7-5 7-6(6)
J. Levinsky (CZE)/P. Vizner (CZE) def. M. Gonzalez (ARG)/S. Roitman (ARG) 6-1 6-4

Wednesday’s Matches
Singles Second Round
3 Jurgen Melzer (AUT) vs. Wayne Odesnik (USA)
4 Jeremy Chardy (FRA) vs. Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP)
WC John Isner (USA) vs. Paul Capdeville (CHI)
Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) vs. Sergio Roitman (ARG)

Doubles First Round
3 L. Arnold Ker (ARG)/M. Damm (CZE) vs. J. Levine (USA)/R Sweeting (USA)
D. Gimeno-Traver (ESP)/D. Junqueria (ARG) vs. S. Lipsky (USA)/D. Vemic (SRB)

Double Second Round
1 B. Bryan (USA)/M. Bryan (USA) vs. J. Isner (USA)/T. Parrott (USA)
J. Blake (USA)/Mardy Fish (USA) vs. J. Cerretani (USA)/D. Norman (BEL)

Wednesday’s Order of Play

(image: Aaron M. Sprecher/ROCC)