ST POELTEN (Austria), May 19: Top seed Andy Roddick warmed up for next week’s French Open by beating Alberto Martin in the first round of the Austrian Grand Prix claycourt tournament on Monday.

The 20-year-old American, a winner of five titles to date but looking for his first of the season, dispatched the Spaniard 6-1 7-6.

Roddick, whose five titles have all been captured on home soil, has this year been a finalist in Houston and Memphis and reached the last four at the Australian Open.

The American next plays unseeded German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who overcame Austria’s sole representative Juergen Melzer 6-4 0-6 6-2.

Three seeds failed to clear the first hurdle. Fourth seeded American Taylor Dent lost 2-6 7-6 6-4 to Croat Mario Ancic, while compatriot and fifth seed Jan-Michael Gambill lost 7-5 3-6 6-3 to wild card entrant and former Wimbledon champion Richard Krajicek.

Seventh seed Karol Kucera of Slovakia was swept away 6-2 6-1 by Dutchman Martin Verkerk. However, sixth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia had no problems in dismissing Slovak Karol Beck 6-4 6-2. French Open defending champion and second seed Albert Costa plays his first-round match on Tuesday.

Behrend stuns Rios

DUESSELDORF (Germany): Tomas Behrend, the world number 102, produced a stirring fightback to beat Marcelo Rios 3-6 7-5 7-6 and pull hosts Germany level with Chile at 1-1 in their World Team Cup tie on Monday.