Fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty from Slovakia and sixth seed Paradorn
Srichaphan of Thailand both cruised to the second round at the
China Open ATP tournament in Beijing on Monday.
The world 28th-ranked Hrbaty swept past 113th-ranked Rik De
Voest from South Africa 6-1, 6-0 and Srichaphan, Asia's number one,
won over Rainer Schuettler of Germany 6-3, 6-3.
Eighth seed Lee Hyund-Tail from South Korea also made it to the
second round after ousting Igor Kunitsyn from Russia 6-3, 6-4 in an
early match.
Hrbaty, who compiled his best season in 2004 by capturing three
ATP titles and ranked 12th as his personal best, had expected a
tough match against his rival.
"I did win the match without a hitch but the game should have
been much tougher, the score should have been 6-4 or 6-3," said the
Slovak, who did not tasted the flavor of any title this year.
Srichaphan and Schuettler met once before at the Memphis
international tennis tournament in 2000, with the Thai handed a
5-7, 6-3, 6-3 loss in the second round.
"It was a tough match against Schuettler, and the win gave me
confidence to face next player on Wednesday. It always makes you
confident in the coming match when you beat your rival."
Home hopeful Yu Xinyuan lost to Wang Yeu-Tzuoo from Chinese
Taipei, but as compensation, he then partnered fellow Zeng Shaoxuan
to beat Ramon Delgado of Paraguay and Lu Yen-Hsun from Chinese
Taipei 6-7(3), 7-6(2), 11-9 in doubles event.
In other doubles first round matches of the day, Mario Ancic of
Croatia and Mahesh Bhupathi of India defeated Lee Hyung-taik from
South Korea and Wang Yeu-Tzuoo of Chinese Taipei 6-3, 6-3.
American third seed Eric Butorac and Travis Parrott outlasted
Thai brothers Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana 6-2,
6-3.
(Xinhua News Agency September 12, 2006)