ROME, May 3: Reigning Australian Open champion Marat Safin drew on his fighting spirit to defeat Jiri Novak in an awkward first round match at the Rome Masters here on Tuesday. The Russian second seed regained his composure after throwing away the first set to beat the experienced Czech 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-1 on centre court at the Foro Italico.

Safin, who has never gone beyond the third round here, was 5-2 ahead in opener but he went to sleep after an excellent start and lost it on a tiebreak. However, the 2000 US Open winner rallied after his wake-up call and lost just two more games on his way to victory.

Safin will play Spanish qualifier Nicolas Almagro in round two. Earlier Tuesday, Argentine ninth seed Guillermo Coria was made to fight all the way by big-serving Chin Fernando Gonzalez before claiming a second round place.

Coria, who lost to in-form Spanish Rafael Nadal in the final at Monte Carlo last month, eventually came through 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-4 in a little under three hours.

Results (first round): Marat Safin (RUS) bt Jiri Novak (CZE) 6-7 (3/7), 6-1, 6-1; Guillermo Canas (ARG) bt Andrei Pavel (ROM) 7-5, 6-2; Fabrice Santoro (FRA) bt David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-4, 1-6, 6-4; Julien Benneteau (FRA) bt Tommy Robredo (SPA x13) 6-1, 6-0; Luis Horna (PER) bt Florian Mayer (GER) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5;Alberto Martin (SPA) bt Rainer Schuettler (GER) 6-0, 1-0 retired; Guillermo Coria (ARG) bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 6-4; Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Mario Ancic (CRO) 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3; Nicolas Kiefer (GER) bt Tommy Haas (GER) 6-3, 6-1; Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) bt Michael Llodra (FRA) 6-4, 6-4

Clijsters sparkles

BERLIN: Former world number one Kim Clijsters took just 44 minutes to knock out Ukraine’s Yuliana Fedak at Berlin’s Steffi Graf stadium on Tuesday and reach the second round of the German Open 6-1 6-0.