NOTTINGHAM, June 14: Twice champion Jonas Bjorkman eased into the second round of the Nottingham Open with little fuss on Monday, beating Pakistan's top-ranked player Aisamul Haq Qureshi at the Wimbledon warm-up event.

Third seed Bjorkman, these days predominantly a doubles specialist but still no slouch on the singles court, eased through 7-6, 6-3. Second seed Mardy Fish withdrew from the tournament with a recurring hip injury, however.

The world number 18 lost to Roger Federer in the final of the Gerry Weber Open in Halle on Sunday and had been due to play Romania's Victor Hanescu in the first round on Tuesday.

His place in the draw will be taken by a lucky loser from qualifying. Bjorkman was joined by American Jan-Michael Gambill in the second round. Gambill cruised past South Africa's Wesley Moodie 6-4, 6-2 at the City of Nottingham Tennis Centre.

The American will next face Hicham Arazi after the seventh-seeded Moroccan beat British qualifier Lee Childs 6-3, 6-3. Sweden's Robin Soderling struggled past Spain's David Ferrer 7-6, 3-6, 6-2 while fifth-seeded American Vince Spadea ousted France's Gregory Carraz 6-3, 7-5.

Monday's results:

First round: Alex Bogdanovic (Britain) beat Joachim Johansson (Sweden) 7-6 (7-5), 6-4; 7-Hicham Arazi (Morocco) bee Lee Childs (Britain) 6-3, 6-3; Jan-Michael Gambill (US) beat Wesley Moodie (South Africa) 6-4, 6-2; Robin Soderling (Sweden) beat David Ferrer (Spain) 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 6-2; 3-Jonas Bjorkman (Sweden) beat Aisamul Haq Qureshi (Pakistan) 7-6 (7-5), 6-3; 5-Vincent Spadea (US) beat Gregory Carraz (France) 6-3, 7-5.

Results of matches at the Eastbourne International WTA tournament:

First round: 8-Magdalena Maleeva (Bulgaria) beat Anne Keothavong (Britain) 5-7, 6-1, 6-1; Nathalie Dechy (France) beat Fabiola Zuluaga (Columbia) 6-2, 6-1; Karolina Sprem (Croatia) beat 6-Anna Smashnova-Pistolesi (Israel) 6-2, 6-4.

AMSTERDAM: Results from the ATP and WTA Ordina Open tennis championships in Den Bosch:

Men's first round: John Van Lottum (Netherlands) beat Thierry Ascione (France) 6-2, 6-0; Dennis Van Scheppingen (Netherlands) beat Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 6-3, 6-2; Igor Andreev (Russia) beat Peter Wessels (Netherlands) 6-1, 6-3; Michael Kohlmann (Germany) beat George Bastl (Switzerland) 7-6 (9-7), 6-4; Jan Vacek (Czech Republic) beat 5-Dominik Hrbaty (Slovakia) 6-4, 6-4; 6-Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat Antony Dupuis (France) 6-4, 6-0.

Women's first round: Anca Barna (Germany) beat 6-Jelena Kostanic (Croatia) 6-4, 3-6, 6-2; Jelena Jankovic (Serbia and Montenegro) beat Gisela Dulko (Argentina) 6-1, 6-1; Flavia Pennetta (Italy) beat Arantxa Parra Santonja (Spain) 6-3, 7-6; 7-Claudine Schaul (Luxembourg) beat Michaella Krajicek (Netherlands) 6-4, 3-1 - retired; 8-Lina Krasnoroutskaya (Russia) beat Melinda Czink (Hungary) 6-2, 6-1; Akiko Morigami (Japan) beat Carly Gullickson (US) 6-1, 7-5; Anne Kremer (Luxembourg) beat Katarina Srebotnik (Slovenia) 6-1, 6-3. -Reuters

Opinion

Editorial

Hollow applause
Updated 23 Feb, 2026

Hollow applause

The current account turnaround, though largely driven by import compression, rising remittances and bilateral debt rollovers, has eased external pressures.
Delayed appointment
23 Feb, 2026

Delayed appointment

THE recent appointment of a chief election commissioner for Azad Jammu & Kashmir has once again shone a ...
Fragile equilibrium
23 Feb, 2026

Fragile equilibrium

PAKISTAN is not short of food. It is short of resilience. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification...
March to war?
Updated 22 Feb, 2026

March to war?

With his huge build-up of forces around Iran, and frequent threats targeted at the Islamic Republic, the US president has created a very difficult situation for himself.
Paper proscriptions
22 Feb, 2026

Paper proscriptions

THE Punjab government’s decision to publicly list 89 banned and unregistered groups, and to warn citizens against...
Cricket politics again
Updated 22 Feb, 2026

Cricket politics again

Pakistan refused to play India at the ongoing T20 World Cup and only changed its mind in view of the game’s greater good. It is time for India to reciprocate.