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DELRAY BEACH (Florida) Jan 31: Andre Agassi made a confident start to his season when he beat Brazilian Ricardo Mello 6-4 6-4 in the first round of the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships (ITC) on Monday.
The 35-year-old top seed, who missed this month’s Australian Open due to an ankle injury, served 10 aces and needed just 67 minutes to see off Mello, the 2004 Delray Beach champion.
The eight-times Grand Slam champion, who lost to world number one Roger Federer in last year’s U.S. Open final, said he had felt “random moments of frustration” about his shot selection and a lack of sharpness after an extended period of inactivity.
He laughed off a question about whether he would retire at the end of the season, which would a 21-year career for the Las Vegas native who turns 36 in April.
Results
First round
Andre Agassi (USA) bt Ricardo Mello (BRA) 6-4, 6-4; Todd Widom (USA) bt Wesley Moodie (RSA) 3-6, 6-4, 6-4; Florian Mayer (GER) bt Michael Berrer (GER) 4-6, 6-0, 6-3; Simon Greul (GER) bt Mardy Fish (USA) 6-3, 6-3; Justin Gimelstob (USA) bt Danai Udomchoke (THA) 6-4, 6-4; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (ESP) bt Bjorn Phau (GER) 6-1, 6-4; Oliver Marach (AUT) bt Cyril Saulnier (FRA) 2-0, retired.
Vina del Mar results
VINA DEL MAR (Chile): Results on Monday in the Vina del Mar ATP tournament:-
First round
Gaston Gaudio (ARG) bt Felipe Parada (CHI) 6-1, 6-4; Daniel Gimeno Traver (ESP) bt Agustin Calleri (ARG) 1-6, 6-3, 6-3; Carlos Cuadrado (ESP) bt Tomas Behrend (GER) 7-5, 6-0; Albert Montanes (ESP) bt Juan Monaco (ARG) 6-4, 6-2; Gustavo Marcaccio (ARG) bt Luis Horna (PER) 7-6, 0-6, 6-3; Juan Martin (ARG) bt Albert Portas (ESP) 6-2, 6-2; Jorge Aguilar (CHI) bt Guillermo Hormazabal (CHI) 6-4, 6-2.
Zagreb ATP results
ZAGREB: Results on Tuesday on the second day of the Zagreb ATP tournament:
First round
Radek Stepanek (CZE) bt Tomas Cakl (CZE) 6-3, 7-6 (7/2); Andreas Seppi (ITA) bt Noam Okun (ISR) 6-2, 6-4.
Played Monday
Tim Henman (GBR) bt Arnaud Clement (FRA) 6-3, 6-3;
Jarkko Nieminen (FIN) bt Potito Starace (ITA) 3-6, 7-5, 6-3; Novak Djokovic (SCG) bt Robin Vik (CZE) 6-1, 7-5; Marin Cilic (CRO) bt Igor Andreev (RUS) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.
