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CINCINNATI (Ohio), Aug 15: Fifth seed Nikolay Davydenko became the first major casualty at the Cincinnati Masters when he lost 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 to Argentine Juan Ignacio Chela in the opening round on Monday.
But No 6 James Blake led an American hat-trick of opening victories as he defeated Fabrice Santoro 6-4, 6-4 on a bad day for France.
Robby Ginepri and former finalist Mardy Fish followed suit for the US, with the 15th-seeded Ginepri eliminating another French opponent in Paul-Henri Mathieu 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Wildcard Fish, losing finalist in 2003 to Andy Roddick, outclassed Nicolas Mahut of France 6-1, 6-3.
Argentine Chela handed Russia's Davydenko a second consecutive first-round hardcourt defeat in the wake of a clay title won last month at Sopot, Poland.
Chela now meets Vince Spadea of the US.
Third seed David Nalbandian swept past South African qualifier Rik De Voest 6-0, 6-4 despite rain interruptions totalling more than two hours.
Eighth seed Marcos Baghdatis, runner-up at the Australian Open and the newest member of the world's top 10, knocked out Thomas Johansson of Sweden 7-6, 7-6.
Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal are the top seeds this week.
Monday’s results:
First round: Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spain) beat Jonas Bjorkman (Sweden) 6-6 –Bjorkman retired; Vince Spadea (US) beat Andreas Seppi (Italy) 6-4, 6-3; Davide Sanguinetti (Italy) beat Robin Vik (Czech Republic) 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3; 10-David Ferrer (Spain) beat Carlos Moya (Spain) 6-3, 6-1; Mardy Fish (US) beat Nicolas Mahut (France) 6-1, 6-3; 6-James Blake (US) beat Fabrice Santoro (France) 6-4, 6-4; 16-Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) beat Paul Goldstein (US) 6-4, 6-3; 15-Robby Ginepri (US) beat Paul-Henri Mathieu (France) 1-6, 6-3, 6-4; Hyung-Taik Lee (South Korea) beat Arnaud Clement (France) 6-4, 6-4; Dmitry Tursunov (Russia) beat Sebastien Grosjean (France) 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; Kristof Vliegen (Belgium) beat Marc Gicquel (France) 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3); 3-David Nalbandian (Argentina) beat Rik De Voest (South Africa) 6-0, 6-4; 8-Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) beat Thomas Johansson (Sweden) 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-3); Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat 5-Nikolay Davydenko (Russia) 6-4, 2-6, 6-2 ; Florent Serra (France) beat Julien Benneteau (France) 6-3, 6-3; Nicolas Almagro (Spain) beat Alberto Martin (Spain) 6-3, 6-3.
MONTREAL: France's Nathalie Dechy booked her place in the second round of the Rogers Cup on Monday after a 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 victory over Israel's Tzipora Obziler.
A clear crowd favourite in the predominantly French speaking city, Dechy rallied from the loss of the first set tie-break to comfortably prevail and she now faces Russian 15th seed Maria Kirilenko in the second round.
Kirilenko suffered a second-set stutter before eclipsing Croatia's Jelena Kostanic 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.
Top seed Kim Clijsters, the clear favourite after the withdrawals of Justine Henin-Hardenne, Amelie Mauresmo, and Maria Sharapova, awaits the winner of the suspended first-round match between Tathiana Garbin and Stephanie Dubois.
Canadian wildcard Dubois was 6-4 0-1 ahead against the Italian lucky loser when played was called off for the day.
Italy's Maria Santangelo booked a second-round clash with seventh seed Martina Hingis of Switzerland after a 6-7, 6-4, 6-2 victory over Austria's Sybille Bammer.
Serbia's Ana Ivanovic, seeded 13, got the better of French teenager Tatiana Golvin 6-4, 6-2 while Flavia Pennetta, the 12th-seeded Italian, ousted Russian qualifier Galina Voskoboeva 6-3, 6-1.
Results:
First round: 13-Ana Ivanovic (Serbia & Montenegro) beat Tatiana Golovin (France) 6-4, 6-2; Marion Bartoli (France) beat Anna Smashnova (Israel) 6-3, 6-3; Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Tzipora Obziler (Israel) 6-7 (3-7), 6-,2 6-1; Alberta Brianti (Italy) beat Sania Mirza (India) 2-6, 6-1, 6-2; Lucie Safarova (Czech Republic) beat Virginie Razzano (France) 7-5, 6-4; 15-Maria Kirilenko (Russia) beat Jelena Kostanic (Croatia) 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Shahar Peer (Israel) beat Varvara Lepchenko (Uzbekistan) 6-4, 6-4; 12-Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Galina Voskoboeva (Russia) 6-3, 6-1; Mara Santangelo (Italy) beat Sybille Bammer (Austria) 6-7 (2-7), 6-4, 6-2; 17-Anabel Medina (Spain) beat Laura Granville (US) 7-5, 6-4; 14-Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) beat Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) 6-3, 7-5.—Reuters
