October 11, 2007	Thursday	Ramazan 28, 1428

MOSCOW, Oct 10: Russian Nikolay Daydenko, top seed and reigning champion of the 2.34 million-dollar joint ATP and WTA Kremlin Cup, began his title defence with a confident straight-sets win over France’s Jo-Wilfried Tsonga here on Tuesday.

The world’s number four won his first ever match with Tsonga 7-6 (7/0), 6-2, in one hour 27 minutes.The 26-year-old broke in the seventh game but Tsonga broke back immediately to level forcing a tiebreak, which Davedenko won to love for a 1-0 lead after 52 minutes. In the second set, Davydenko took command, breaking early for a comfortable 3-0 lead, then again in the eighth game.

Davydenko next faces Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, who battled from a set down to beat France’s Fabrice Santoro 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

Another Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu, fourth seed here, booked his second round pass with an easy 6-2, 6-2 win over a compatriot Sebastien Grosjean in one hour six minutes, his first ever win over Grosjean in their three meetings.

Fifth seed Marat Safin, who appeared in the main draw courtesy of a wildcard, looked slightly rusty after a long break but also proceeded into the second round with a 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 win over his Russian compatriot Denis Matsukevitch.

In the women’s section eighth seed Nicole Vaidisova of Czech Republic saw off Russia’s qualifier Yaroslava Shvedova 7-6 (7/3), 6-3 in one hour 25 minutes. Gisela Dulko of Argentina overcame Sania Mirza of India 6-3, 6-4 to meet top seed Svetlana Kuznetsova, of Russia, who enjoyed the first-round bye, for a quarter-final berth.

Tuesday’s results (x denotes seeding):

First round:

Men’s: Dmitry Tursunov (RUS x7) bt Mischa Zverev (GER) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4; Marat Safin (RUS x5) bt Denis Matsukevitch (RUS) 7-6 (7/2), 7-5; Nicolas Lapentti (ECU) bt Fabrice Santoro (FRA) 3-6, 6-3, 6-2; Kristof Vliegen (BEL) bt Viktor Troitsky (SRB) 6-3, 2-2 retired; Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) bt Diego Hartfield (ARG) 7-6 (7/1), 1-6, 6-1; Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Simone Bolelli (ITA) 6-3, 6-4; Michael Berrer (GER) bt Jose Acasuso (ARG) 6-7 (5/7), 7-5, 6-4; Nikolay Davydenko (RUS x1) bt Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 7-6 (7/0), 6-2; Paul-Henri Matheu (FRA x4) bt Sebastien Grosjean (FRA) 6-2, 6-2.

Women’s: Victoria Azarenka (BLR) bt Sybille Bammer (AUT) 6-3, 6-4; Agnieszka Radwanska (POL) bt Maria Kirilenko (RUS) 6-4, 4-6, 6-1; Elena Dementieva (RUS) bt Alicia Molik (AUS) 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Nicole Vaidisova (CZE) bt Yaroslava Shvedova (RUS) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3; Tatiana Perebiynis (UKR) bt Michaella Krajicek (NED) 6-4, 1-6, 7-5; Elena Vesnina (RUS) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (SUI) 6-2, 6-4; Gisela Dulko (ARG) bt Sania Mirza (IND) 6-3, 6-4.

DJOKOVIC WALTZES INTO SECOND ROUND

VIENNA: Top seed Novak Djokovic made a positive start to his Vienna campaign when he defeated American Robby Ginepri 6-3, 6-4 to reach the second round of the CA-BA Trophy on Tuesday.

There were a remarkable seven breaks of serve in the opening set, with Ginepri unable to earn a game point on his own serve. The match was played at a furious pace with both employing explosive forehands, but it was often the Serb who came out of the longer rallies as the winner.

The second set was decided by a single break of serve for 1-0, and Djokovic went on to claim a satisfying victory.

Tuesday’s results:

David Nalbandian (ARG) bt Stefano Galvani (ITA) 6-3, 7-6(3); Novak Djokovic (SRB x1) bt Robby Ginepri (US) 6-3, 6-4; 7-Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG x7) bt Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) 6-1, 6-3; Juergen Melzer (AUT) bt Alexander Peya (AUT) 6-4, 6-3; Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Ivo Minar (CZE) 6-4, 6-2; Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) bt Guillermo Canas (ARG) 3-6, 6-3, 7-6(5); Mardy Fish (US) bt Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-7(4), 6-2, 6-4; Feliciano Lopez (ESP) bt Werner Eschauer (AUT) 6-3, 6-2; Tomas Zib (CZE) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 6-1, 6-4.

BLAKE REMAINS SPOTLESS

STOCKHOLM: James Blake struggled for two and a half hours to maintain his perfect career mark at the Stockholm Open, earning his 11th win in a battling victory over Jonas Bjorkman 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-3.The American’s Tuesday night success denied the 35-year-old Swede his dream of rolling back the years after lifting the home title a decade ago.

Blake improved to 11-0 in Stockholm after winning the last two editions of the tournament. During that run he has lost just three sets. A fortnight ago he helped the US into the Davis Cup finals at the expense of the Swedes.

Tuesday’s results:

First round: Mario Ancic (CRO) bt Amer Delic (US) 6-1, 6-4; Tommy Haas (GER x4) bt Olivier Rochus (BEL) 6-4, 6-1; James Blake (US x1) bt Jonas Bjorkman (SWE) 6-7 (3/7), 7-5, 6-3; Ivo Karlovic (CRO x7) bt Nicolas Massu (CHI) 7-6 (10/8), 6-7 (4/7), 6-4; Thomas Johansson (SWE) bt Juan del Potro (ARG) 6-4, 1-0 – retired.

RAZZANO MOVES ON

BANGKOK: In-form Frenchwoman Virginie Razzano eased past Lourdes Dominguez Lino of Spain 6-0, 6-3 to advance to the second round of the Bangkok Open on Tuesday.

In the hunt for her third straight WTA title after wins in Guangzhou and Japan in the last two weeks, Razzano dropped only five points on her first serve to notch-up her 11th straight victory.

Tuesday’s results:

First round: Flavia Pennetta (ITA x7) bt Noppawan Lertcheewakarn (THA) 6-0, 6-2; Anastasia Rodionova (RUS) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (UZB) 6-4, 6-3; Klara Zakopalova (CZE) bt Aiko Nakamura (JPN x6) 6-4, 7-6 (5); Shahar Peer (ISR x3) bt Melinda Czink (HUN) 7-6 (3), 6-4; Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x5) bt Emilia Salerni (ARG) 6-2, 4-6, 6-2; Olga Poutchkova (RUS) bt Anne Kremer (LUX) 6-3, 4-6, 6-2; Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) bt Edina Gallovits (ROU) 7-5, retired; Virginie Razzano (FRA x4) bt Lourdes Dominguez Lino (ESP) 6-0, 6-3.—Agencies