Tuesday, 13 May, 2008

Mikhail Youzhny crashed out of the ATP Masters Series Hamburg on Monday after losing 6-3 6-2 to unseeded Spaniard Fernando Verdasco.

The 10th seed was the highest seeded player in action on the tournament's opening day but suffered his third consecutive first-round loss.

Verdasco, who blasted six aces during the 77-minute match, will next face Michael Llodra of France.

Playing on home soil, unseeded Nicolas Kiefer delighted fans with the day's second upset, knocking out 16th-seeded Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4 6-4.

Things went far better for 12th seed Juan Monaco, who advanced when Filippo Volandri of Italy retired with a knee injury while trailing 6-1 4-0.

Andy Murray, the 15th seed, also had a relatively easy time during his 6-4 6-1 victory over Russia's Dmitry Tursunov.

The Scot, who saved all three break points faced during the match, entered this event having won just three times on clay this season.

"I served very well," Murray said. "In the first set I was trying to find the balance, when to play aggressive, when to play defensive. In the second set it was much better. Overall it was a very good match."

Fourteenth-seeded Jo-Wilfried Tsonga did not have it quite so easy as he overcame an ugly first set to claim a 0-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-2 triumph over fellow Frenchman Nicolas Mahut.

Murray hits back at detractors
Doubles defeat for Murray
Youzhny knocked out in Hamburg
Zvonareva advances in Rome
Djokovic clinches Rome title
Safina defeats Dementieva in Berlin
Madrid to host Davis Cup clash