“I was surprised at how easy it was,” said the German of his outburst on the way to only his third match victory since mid-October. Kiefer prevailed in two hours, 52 minutes to leave double Grand Slam champion Kafelnikov questioning his ability on the clay.
Top seed Kafelnikov, a former French Open winner, finds himself winless on the ATP level on clay this spring, though he did take two victories on indoor clay during this month’s Davis Cup win over Sweden.
The Russian, 28 and pondering retirement if he can lead his country to the Davis Cup crown in December, has failed to win a match in Monte Carlo, Barcelona and now Munich this month.
In other first-round matches, Czech fourth seed Jiri Novak defeated Norwegian qualifier Jan Frode Andersen 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, Brazilian veteran Fernando Meligeni defeated Zeljko Krajan of Croatia 2-6, 6-1, 6-0.
Moroccan sixth seed Younes El Aynaoui dispatched Max Mirnyi of Belarus 6-4, 6-4.
Tuesday’s results (prefix number denotes seeding):
First round: 2-Tommy Haas (Germany) beat David Nalbandian (Argentina) 7-5, 4-6, 6-1; Mikhail Youzhny (Russia) beat Hicham Arazi (Morocco) 6-2, 1-6, 6-1; 6-Younes El Aynaoui (Morocco) beat Max Mirnyi (Belarus) 6-4, 6-4; Nicolas Kiefer (Germany) beat 1-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Russia) 6-4, 6-7 (7-9), 6-3; 4-Jiri Novak (Czech Republic) beat Jan-Frode Andersen (Norway) 1-6, 6-1, 6-4; Fernando Meligeni (Brazil) beat Zeljko Krajan (Croatia) 2-6, 6-1, 6-0.
Monday’s results:
First round: Alexander Popp (Germany) beat Bjoern Phau (Germany) 6-4, 6-3; Bohdan Ulihrach (Czech Republic) beat Lars Burgsmueller (Germany) 6-3, 6-3; Nicolas Lapentti (Ecuador) beat Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 4-6, 6-4, 7-5; Francisco Clavet (Spain) beat 8-Fabrice Santoro (France) 7-6 (9-7), 2-6, 6-4; Julien Boutter (France) beat Mark Philippoussis (Australia) 7-5, 7-6 (7-4); Juan Ignacio Chela (Argentina) beat Franco Squillari (Argentina) 6-7 (5-7), 6-3, 6-4.
DOKIC IN 2ND ROUND: Jelena Dokic overcome a second-set hiccup to beat Russia’s Anastasia Myskina 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 and move into the second round of the WTA tournament in Hamburg Tuesday.
In another unpredictable first round battle, Austria’s Barbara Schett overcame Martina Sucha of Slovakia 7-5, 6-4, but only after surrendering four straight games in the second set.
Tuesday’s results:
First round: 5-Jelena Dokic (Yugoslavia) beat Anastasia Myskina (Russia) 6-3, 0-6, 6-2; Barbara Schett (Austria) beat Martina Sucha (Slovakia) 7-5, 6-4; Francesca Schiavone (Italy) beat Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzbekistan) 6-0, 6-1; Magui Serna (Spain) beat Tatiana Panova (Russia) 7-5, 6-1.
SCHALKEN BEATEN: Belgium’s Olivier Rochus knocked out number three seed Sjeng Schlaken of the Netherlands in the first round of the clay-court Mallorca Open Monday.
The Belgian got the better of the Dutchman in three sets 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 to progress to the second round where he will meet Spain’s Rafael Nadal-Perea who had a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Ramon Delgado of Paraguay.
In other action, the other two seeds to play Monday safely negotiated their way into the second round.
Monday’s results:
First round: Juan Balcells (Spain) beat Anthony Dupuis (France) 7-5, 6-4; 5-Agustin Calleri (Argentina) beat Markus Hipfl 6-0, 6-2; Galo Blanco (Spain) beat Lee Hyung-taik (South Korea) 6-3, 6-3; Olivier Rochus (Belgium) beat 3-Sjeng Schalken (Netherlands) 6-2, 3-6, 7-5; Cedric Pioline (France) beat Jose Acasuso (Argentina) 6-3, 6-7 (4-7), 6-4; 6-Albert Montanes (Spain) beat Michael Russell (US) 6-7 (5-7), 7-6, (7-5), 6-4; Rafael Nadal-Perera (Spain) beat Ramon Delgado (Paraguay) 6-4, 6-4; Jean-Francois Bachelot (France) beat Mario Radic (Croatia) 6-4, 6-2.—AFP/Reuters