INDIANAPOLIS, July 20: Former champion Greg Rusedski produced the lone break of the match to defeat Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-4 for a confidence-boosting place in the second round of the 600,000-dollar RCA Championships on Monday night.
Rusedski, the holder here two years ago, broke Sweden's 2002 Australian Open winner in the final game of a match lasting two hours, 13 minutes, advancing on the second of three match points.
The Briton has had a solid summer, winning his 14th career title in Newport this month and reaching the Los Angeles quarterfinals. His mid-year campaign is in sharp contrast to an injury-plagued 2003 and a disheartening start to 2004 as Rusedski successfully cleared his name after a positive nandrolone test from Indy a year ago.
Rusedski struck 19 aces and a dozen double-faults while Johansson had 14 aces. Between them, the big-hitters rolled the dice on every point, producing a total of 111 unforced errors.
RESULTS (FIRST ROUND):
Greg Rusedski bt Thomas Johansson 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (3-7), 6-4; Thierry Ascione bt Jeff Salzenstein 7-5, 7-6 (7-3); Rajeev Ram bt Wesley Moodie 6-7 (3-7), 6-3, 7-6 (7-5)
WTA Tennis Results
LOS ANGELES: Results here on Monday, the first day of a 585,000-dollar WTA tour hardcourt tennis tournament:
First round: Anne Kremer (LUX) bt Laura Granville (USA) 6-3, 5-7, 6-0; Tina Pisnik (SLO) bt Barbora Strycova (CZE) 4-6, 6-4, 6-2; Akiko Morigami (JPN) bt Silvia Farina Elia (ITA) 6-2, 6-4; Marion Bartoli (FRA) bt Tamarine Tanasugarn (THA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Jessica Kirkland (USA) bt Tathiana Garbin (ITA) 6-1, 6-3; Ashley Harkleroad (USA) bt Shinobu Asagoe (JPN) 6-3, 6-2; Lilia Osterloh (USA) bt Saori Obata (JPN) 7-5, 7-5; Jelena Kostanic (CRO) bt Martina Sucha (SVK) 7-6 (7/5), 2-6, 6-2; Francesca Schiavone (ITA) bt Shenay Perry (USA) 6-0, 6-3; Anca Barna (GER) bt Fabiola Zuluaga (COL) 6-1, 6-1; Nathalie Dechy (FRA) bt Conchita Martinez (SPA) 6-4, 6-4; Chanda Rubin (USA) bt Marissa Irvin (USA) 6-2, 1-6, 7-6 (7/5); Arantxa Parra Santonja (SPA) bt Jill Craybas (USA) 7-6 (9/7), 6-4.
CROATIA OPEN RESULTS
UMAG: First round results from the 395,750 euros Croatia Open ATP tournament :
Fernando Vicente (Spain) bt Sasa Tuksar (Croatia) 6-7 6-4 6-3 Zeljko Krajan (Croatia) bt Jiri Vanek (Czech Republic) 6-0 3-6 6-3 Nicolas Almagro (Spain) bt Tomas Behrend (Germany) 7-6 6-4 Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat 8-Karol Kucera (Slovakia) 6-2 6-2 Florent Serra (France) bt Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) 6-3 6-1 Kristof Vliegen (Belgium) bt Olivier Mutis (France) 6-0 6-2. -Agencies