DUBAI, Feb 26: Top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero needed just one set to ease into the second round of the $1 million Dubai Open on Tuesday when his opponent retired injured.

The defending champion broke serve to take the first set from Bohdan Ulihrach 7-5 before the Czech pulled out of the match with tendinitis of the wrist.

Spaniard Ferrero was joined in the second round by Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson and Sebastien Grosjean.

Third seed Johansson eased to an emphatic 6-3 6-0 win over Albert Costa, taking just an hour to overcome the disprited Spaniard.

Fourth seed Grosjean also had little trouble dismissing inconsistent Austrian Stefan Koubek.

A quarter-finalist at the Australian Open last month, Koubek looked a different player on Tuesday as he hit a series of errors before crumbling to a 6-2 6-2 defeat.

In the opening match of the day at the Aviation Club Tennis Centre, Ulihrach made the better start in very hot conditions.

But he was unable to convert any of his break point opportunities, and Spain’s Ferrero soon shook off his sluggish start to produce some sharp forehands and a series of aces.

Ulihrach, who repeatedly shook his right arm during the match, called for the trainer after the fifth game but continued.

Despite the evidence of a niggling injury, Ulihrach’s retirement came as a surprise.

Tuesday’s results:

First round: Alex Calatrava (Spa) bt Mikhail Youzhny (Rus) 6-3, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (Fra x4) bt Stefan Koubek (Aut) 6-2, 6-2; Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa x1) bt Bohdan Ulihrach (Cze) 7-5, retired; Ivan Ljubicic (Cro) bt Cedric Pioline (Fra) 6-3, 6-2.

Monday’s results:

First round: Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Goran Ivanisevic (Cro x7) 6-3, 6-4; Jiri Novak (Cze x8) bt Dominik Hrbaty (Svk) 6-2, 6-1; Younes El Aynaoui (Mar) bt Andre Pavel (Rom) 7-5, 2-6, 6-4; Axel Pretzsch (Ger) bt Julien Boutter (Fra) 6-4, 6-4; Fabrice Santoro (Fra) bt Michael Kohlmann (Ger) 7-6 (7/0), 3-6, 6-4; Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus x2) bt Vasilis Mazarakis (Gre) 6-4, 7-5

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