Wednesday, 14 May, 2008

Nikolay Davydenko cruised into the third round of the ATP Masters Series in Hamburg with a straight sets win over Ivan Ljubicic on Tuesday.

The fourth-seeded Russian defeated his unseeded opponent 6-4 6-1 to claim his 10th claycourt victory this season.

Fifth seed David Ferrer also is through to the third round following his 6-3 6-3 win over Czech qualifier Ivo Minar.

The Spaniard, who has been a quarter-finalist here in three of the last four years, is looking to bounce back from a disappointing second-round loss to Radek Stepanek in Rome last week.

Next up for the world number five is his unseeded countryman Fernando Verdasco, who advanced with a thumping 6-2 6-0 win over Frenchman Michael Llodra in just 52 minutes.

Verdasco recorded the first big upset of the event on Monday when he dispatched 10th-seeded Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

This time it was Italy's Andreas Seppi who turned in the upset of the day when he ousted eighth-seeded Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-3 6-2.

In one of the eight first-round matches on Tuesday, 2006 champion and 13th seed Tommy Robredo rallied for a 2-6 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

Robredo, the only player other than Roger Federer to have won this event during the past four years, will next face unseeded Ivo Karlovic.

Also through to the second round are Carlos Moya, Robin Soderling, Janko Tipsarevic, Jose Acasuso, Stanislas Wawrinka and Potito Starace, who booked a match with the second-seeded Nadal. Defending champion Moysa takes on Jarkko Nieminen, who also advanced on Tuesday.

Henin announces retirement
Gasquet doubt for Roland Garros
Murray hits back at detractors
Davydenko advances in Hamburg
Rain disrupts play in Rome
Doubles defeat for Murray