The Hindu : Sport / Tennis : Gustavo Kuerten falls in the first round

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Friday, Mar 23, 2007
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Gustavo Kuerten falls in the first round

MIAMI: On a day when seeded players received first-round byes at Key Biscayne for the Sony Ericsson Open, three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten fell to 2-7 this year when he lost 6-2, 6-2 to Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands.

Winners on the first day of play on Wednesday included 14-year-old Michelle Larcher de Brito of Portugal, who beat veteran Meghann Shaughnessy of the United States 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3) despite 10 double faults. The teen will next face No. 16-seeded Daniela Hantuchova, who won Indian Wells last week.

The Key Biscayne tournament has a new name — it was formerly the Nasdaq-100 Open. It also has a new look, with purple courts for a more vibrant appearance.

Guillermo Garcia-Lopez played three hours to beat Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), and Thomas Johansson, the 2002 Australian Open champion, beat Alberto Martin of Spain 6-4, 6-3.

Gael Monfils of France lost to Simone Bolelli 6-4, 6-2 for the latter's first ATP-level victory, Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina beat Lee Hyung-taik of South Korea 6-4, 6-2 in his Key Biscayne debut to set up a match with third-seeded Andy Roddick, and Luis Horna of Peru led 5-2 when Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand quit with a wrist injury.

On the women's side, Akiko Morigami of Japan beat Aleksandra Wozniak of Canada 6-1, 7-5 and will play Kim Clijsters in the second round.

The results (first round): Men: Paul-Henri Mathieu bt Kristof Vliegen 6-1, 6-1; Daniele Bracciali bt Max Mirnyi 7-6(2), 6-4; Luis Horna bt Paradorn Srichaphan 5-2 retired; Simone Bolelli bt Gael Monfils 6-4, 6-2; Thomas Johansson bt Alberto Martin 6-4, 6-3; Michael Llodra bt Stefan Koubek 6-4, 6-0; Feliciano Lopez bt Nicolas Massu 6-3, 6-3; Guillermo Garcia-Lopez bt Ivo Karlovic 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(5); Raemon Sluiter bt Gustavo Kuerten 6-2, 6-2; Juan Martin del Potro bt Jonas Bjorkman 7-5, 6-1.

Women: Michelle Larcher de Brito bt Meghann Shaughnessy 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(3); Virginie Razzano bt Flavia Pennetta 6-4, 6-2; Tamira Paszek bt Alicia Molik 6-3, 6-4; Nathalie Dechy bt Camille Pin 6-1, 6-3; Vania King bt Sun Tiantian 7-6(4), 7-5. — Agencies

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