MIAMI (Florida), March 27: Three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, playing his final season, was ousted by France’s Sebastien Grosjean 6-1, 7-5 here on Wednesday on day one of the ATP and WTA Sony Ericcson Open.

The 31-year-old Brazilian wild card entrant had not played an ATP match in 13 months but wanted to make a farewell tour this year of the events dearest to his heart, including Roland Garros, where he won in 1997, 2000 and 2001.

Opening-day matches at the $7.54 million hardcourt tournament were mainly to determine first-match foes for top seeds, who all received a bye into the second round and do not start playing until later this week.

Women’s world No 1 Justine Henin of Belgium will open against Angelique Kerber after the German defeated Uzbekhistan’s Akgul Amanmuradova 7-5, 6-1.

Taiwan’s Chan Yung-Jan advanced to a matchup with Russian third seed Svetlana Kuznetsova by beating Romanian Ioana Raluca Olaru 6-1, 2-6, 6-1.

Poland’s Marta Domachowska booked a date with sixth seed Venus Williams, the reigning Wimbledon champion, after beating American Jill Craybas 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (8-6).

On the men’s side, Germany’s Benjamin Becker defeated Argentine qualifier Sergio Roitman 6-3, 6-4 to book a date with second seed Rafael Nadal of Spain.

Belgium’s Xavier Malisse beat Spain’s Oscar Hernandez 6-1, 6-1 to earn a second-round match against Argentine seventh seed David Nalbandian.

Tommy Haas withdrew due to a sinus infection. The 29-year-old German, ranked 36th on the ATP Tour, pulled out of a quarter-final match against Swiss world No 1 Roger Federer last week at Indian Wells for the same reason.

Spain’s Guillermo Garcia-Lopez replaced him in the main draw.

Wednesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):

Men’s singles:

First round: Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) bt Tommy Haas (Germany) 4-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-4; Fabrice Santoro

(France) bt Jonas Bjorkman (Sweden) 6-1, 6-0; Pablo Cuevas (Uruguay) bt Vince Spadea (US) 6-4, 6-2; Kevin Anderson (South Africa) bt Agustin Calleri (Argentina) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-6 (7-4); Michael Berrer (Germany) bt Robin Haase (Netherlands) 6-4, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (France) bt Gustavo Kuerten (Brazil) 6-1, 7-5; Albert Montanes (Spain) bt Kei Nishikori (Japan) 7-5, 6-2; Sam Querrey (US) bt Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 7-6 (7-4), 6-3; Sam Warburg (US) bt Potito Starace (Italy) 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Juan Martin Del Potro (Argentina) bt Jesse Levine (US) 7-5, 6-1; Benjamin Becker (Germany) bt Sergio Roitman (Argentina) 6-3, 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) bt Evgeny Korolev (Russia) 4-6, 6-3, 6-2; Andreas Seppi (Italy) bt Marc Gicquel (France) 2-6, 6-4, 6-2; Xavier Malisse (Belgium) bt Oscar Hernandez (Spain) 6-1, 6-1; Nicolas Mahut (France) bt Florian Mayer (Germany) 7-6 (8-6), 6-3; Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt Kristof Vliegen (Belgium) 6-3, 6-2.

Women’s singles:

First round: Michelle Larcher de Brito (Portugal) bt Ekaterina Makarova (Russia) 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3; Vania King (US) bt Meghann Shaughnessy (US) 3-6, 6-4, 6-1; Anastasia Rodionova (Russia) bt Casey Dell’Acqua

(Australia) 6-2, 7-6 (7-1); Rossana De Los Rios (Paraguay) bt Yvonne Meusburger (Austria) 6-2, 4-6, 6-4; Ashley Harkleroad (US) bt Emmanuelle Gagliardi (Switzerland) 6-4, 6-3; Tatiana Perebiynis (Ukraine) bt Gisela Dulko (Argentina) 6-4, 7-6 (7-1); Kaia Kanepi (Estonia) bt Petra Kvitova (Czech Republic) 3-6, 7-5, 7-5; Nathalie Dechy (France) bt Saori Nakamura (Japan) 6-0, 6-0; Sara Errani (Italy) bt Akiko Morigami (Japan) 6-2, 3-6, 6-4; Caroline Wozniacki (Denmark) bt Tsvetana Pironkova (Bulgaria) 6-4, 7-5; Elena Vesnina (Russia) bt Elena Likhovtseva (Russia) 6-4, 6-4; Marta Domachowska (Poland) bt Jill Craybas (US) 6-4, 0-6, 7-6 (8-6); Marina Erakovic (New Zealand) bt Martina Mueller (Germany) 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 6-2; Chan Yung-jan (Taiwan) bt Raluca Olaru (Romania) 6-1, 2-6, 6-1; Edina Gallovits (Romania) bt Klara Zakopalova (Czech Republic) 6-4, 6-1; Angelique Kerber (Germany) bt Akgul Amanmuradova (Uzbekistan) 7-5, 6-1.—Agencies

Opinion

Editorial

GB polls’ aftermath
Updated 11 Jun, 2026

GB polls’ aftermath

The new administration must address the region’s issues proactively.
Peace in retreat
11 Jun, 2026

Peace in retreat

THE ceasefire announced in April was supposed to create space for negotiations. Instead, it has been repeatedly...
A few good men
11 Jun, 2026

A few good men

IT was a brave move, no doubt. This Tuesday, in the land of the Afghan Taliban, a few good men decided to take a...
Centre vs provinces
Updated 10 Jun, 2026

Centre vs provinces

The reason the centre finds itself in this position is rooted in its failure to expand the tax net and boost revenues.
Party in crisis
10 Jun, 2026

Party in crisis

THE young KP chief minister must be starting to realise just how thorny a seat he occupies. There has been a flurry...
Varsity woes
10 Jun, 2026

Varsity woes

FINANCIAL crises affecting public sector universities across Pakistan are now having an impact on academic...