• ATP Tour

Past champs tumble out at Delray

ESPN staff
February 23, 2010
Fernando Verdasco dropped a set before registering a convincing win in Mexico © AP
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Two former champions have been eliminated from the Delray Beach International on Tuesday but last year's winner Mardy Fish was among those progressing to the second round after his opponent Christophe Rochus retired through injury.

With the score level at 5-7 6-3 3-3 Rochus succumbed to a back injury, leaving Fish, who served 25 aces, with a relieving passage to the second round.

Third seed Benjamin Becker survived a scare to move past world No. 898 and former surprise winner here Kei Nishikori into the second round. The German won the opening set but fell apart in the second set, before crushing his Japanese opponent to love in the deciding set to win 6-3 1-6 6-0 and set up a second-round meeting with American Wayne Odesnik.

France's Jeremy Chardy made easier progress, beating the other former champion of this tournament, Xavier Malisse, 6-3 7-6(5) while Germany's Mischa Zverev knocked out eighth seed Michael Russell 6-4 3-6 7-5.

Second-seed Ivo Karlovic secured a straight sets win with a tie-break over Philipp Petzschner for his ninth match victory of the season. Karlovic sent down 19 aces and no double faults as he triumphed 6-3 7-6(3).

Sixth seed Florian Mayer moved through to the second round with victory over Australian qualifier Nick Lindahl, while his Argentinean namesake Leonardo Mayer also won two tie-breakers to beat South African Kevin Anderson 7-6(7) 7-6(2). Jarkko Nieminen beat Paolo Lorenzi 6-3 6-4.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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