MONTE CARLO, April 14: Third seed Andy Roddick stumbled out of the Monte Carlo Masters at the first hurdle on Monday.

The American lost 7-6 6-3 to Spanish claycourt specialist Albert Portas, while Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez, the 14th seed, and 12th-seeded Spaniard Alex Corretja also failed to survive the first round.

Gonzalez lost to France’s Arnaud Clement 6-4 6-3 and Corretja, a losing finalist in the principality in 1997, was beaten by his compatriot Feliciano Lopez in straight sets.

Corretja’s loss was the one piece of bad news for the typically strong Spanish contingent as top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero crushed Australian Wayne Arthurs 6-4 6-1 and former French open semi-finalist Felix Mantilla humbled Armenia’s Sargis Sargsian 6-0 7-5.

After the withdrawals of Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Marat Safin and Roger Federer, Ferrero and compatriots Carlos Moya and Albert Costa are favourites to dominate the tournament.

Roddick was the only non-Spaniard among the top four seeds, but despite promising performances on clay in recent seasons, he wasted most of his energy in the first set tiebreak, which he eventually lost 7-5.

Portas then relied on his clay-court experience to finish off his opponent.

The 7-6 6-3 loss of 12th seed Corretja against compatriot Lopez came as the biggest surprise, the veteran Spaniard being one of the most successful players on clay over the past decade.

A losing finalist in the principality six years ago and twice French Open runner-up, Corretja had only himself to blame as he had held four set points in the first set which he failed to convert in windy conditions.

Gonzalez was defeated by local favourite Clement, who had only won two matches this season because of a wrist injury.

Clement, who had won as many matches with his “wrong” hand this year — he was allowed by his federation to play a couple of left-handed matches at amateur level to keep fit — showed he was nearing his best in the 104-minute demolition of the Chilean.

The match was far from perfect, Frenchman needing five set points before clinching the first set, but Clement was on a roll in the second to win only his third match in Monte Carlo.

“I have not won many matches here and I’m very glad to have won this,” he said. “I feel better and better and almost at my best. I feel fresh and very happy to be here.”

French crowds had modest hopes before the tournament after the withdrawal of the injured Sebastien Grosjean and they lost two of their other favourites.

Last year’s teenage sensation Richard Gasquet was crushed by Wimbledon finalist David Nalbandian of Argentina 6-4 6-0 and Fabrice Santoro took only three games off Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler of Germany before going down 6-1 6-2.

Results (prefix number denotes seeding):

First round: Fernando Vicente (Spain) beat Nicolas Escude (France) 6-4 6-3; 10-Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) beat Mardy Fish (U.S.) 3-6 6-1 6-0; Alberto Martin (Spain) beat Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 6-3 3-6 6-2; Vince Spadea (U.S.) beat Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) 6-1 6-2; Gaston Gaudio (Argentina) beat David Ferrer (Spain) 7-5 6-2; Luis Horna (Peru) beat Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 6-4 6-4 1-Juan-Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Wayne Arthurs (Australia) 6-4 6-1; Albert Portas (Spain) beat 3-Andy Roddick (U.S.) 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 Filippo Volandri (Italy) beat Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) 6-4 6-3; Felix Mantilla (Spain) beat Sargis Sargsian (Armenia) 6-0 7-5 8-Rainer Schuettler (Germany) beat Fabrice Santoro (France) 6-1 6-2; 6-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Richard Gasquet (France) 6-4 6-0; Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) beat Mariano Zabaleta (Argentina) 6-3 7-6 (10-8); Feliciano Lopez (Spain) beat 12-Alex Corretja (Spain) 7-6 (7-4) 6-3; Arnaud Clement (France) beat 13-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) 6-4 6-3—Reuters