INDIANAPOLIS, July 20: Former champion Greg Rusedski produced the lone break of the match to defeat Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 for a confidence-boosting place in the second round of the 600,000-dollar RCA Championships on Monday night.
Rusedski, the holder here two years ago, broke Sweden's 2002 Australian Open winner in the final game of a match lasting two hours, 13 minutes, advancing on the second of three match points.
The Briton has had a solid summer, winning his 14th career title in Newport this month and reaching the Los Angeles quarterfinals. His mid-year campaign is in sharp contrast to an injury-plagued 2003 and a disheartening start to 2004 as Rusedski successfully cleared his name after a positive nandrolone test from Indy a year ago.
Rusedski struck 19 aces and a dozen double-faults while Johansson had 14 aces. Between them, the big-hitters rolled the dice on every point, producing a total of 111 unforced errors.
RESULTS (FIRST ROUND):
Greg Rusedski bt Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-4; Thierry Ascione bt Jeff Salzenstein 7-5, 7-6 (7-3); Rajeev Ram bt Wesley Moodie 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
WTA Tennis Results
LOS ANGELES: Results here on Monday, the first day of a 585,000-dollar WTA tour hardcourt tennis tournament:
