Srichapan crashes to Munich defeat
MUNICH, Germany -- Paradorn Srichapan was the major casualty on the second day of the Munich Open when the second seed was beaten 6-3 6-2 by Belgium's Olivier Rochus.
It was the second successive first round loss for the 24-year-old from Thailand, who never looked like justifying his seeding.
Earlier rejuvenated German Tommy Haas set up a clash with compatriot and top seed Rainer Schuettler after both won their opening matches.
Wildcard Haas, 26, built on his victory in the ATP tournament in Houston to dispose of Czech Bohdan Ulihrach 6-3 6-2.
And the former World No.2 believes he is nearing the form that took him to the final in Munich four years ago.
"I had doubts about whether I could play at this level again," admitted Haas. "But I am on my way back to my best form again."
Monte Carlo finalist Schuettler, 28, needed all his resolve to defeat 19-year-old Swede Robin Soderling 6-4 7-6 and said: "It is a shame that we are meeting so soon."
He added: "But at least there will be a German player in the quarterfinal."
Schuettler had tasted defeat against Soderling in the first round of the Australian Open but exacted revenge for that loss - although it was far from easy.
After taking the first set 6-4 Schuettler had four match points when 5-4 up in the second set but Soderling broke back and went to a tie-break.
Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanesevic, 32, exited at the first hurdle with German qualifier Alexander Waske winning 6-4 7-6.
The 29-year-old will next meet fifth-seeded American Vince Spadea who moved past another German qualifier Dieter Kindlmann 6-4 6-2.
Tight call for Kuerten
Brazilian claycourt specialist Gustavo Kuerten struggled through to the last 16 of the Barcelona Open on Tuesday with a gruelling 7-6 4-6 7-6 win over Swede Thomas Johansson.
The three-times former French Open champion, seeded six, has been out of form recently and he sneaked the first set 7-5 in the tiebreak.
Wildcard Johansson levelled but Kuerten again prevailed in the deciding third-set tiebreak 7-5 to clinch a draining two-and-a-half hour victory.
Spanish number eight seed Tommy Robredo, in contrast, sailed through his second round match with a 6-4 6-4 victory over Slovak Karol Beck.
In a first round game former Barcelona champion and number 15 seed Felix Mantilla of Spain notched up a convincing 7-6 6-0 win over Swiss qualifier Stanislas Wawrinka.
Spanish wild card Albert Montanes, who knocked out Albert Costa in the first round, also made it through to the last 16 after turning round a weak start to beat fellow Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 3-6 6-2 6-2.
Number 10 seed Feliciano Lopez faced more of a battle to stay in the $1.17m event, beating American Jan-Michael Gambill 7-5 7-5 in a first round game.
