France’s Gilles Simon made a winning return following months of knee problems to advance at the Eastbourne International on Monday.
The No. 3 seed, once a member of the world top 10, rediscovered his form in a 6-3, 6-7 (6/8), 6-4 defeat of Kazakhstan’s Evgeny Korolev that represented his first ATP-level win of the year.
The win lifted Simon’s record for the season to 1-4 after his first match of any kind in more than two months.
PHOTO: AFP
He will hope to continue his progress when he faces Andrey Kuznetsov in the second round after the Russian went through when Japan’s Kei Nishikori retired with a hip injury while trailing 6-4, 3-1 in their match.
Simon led two more French colleagues into round two, with No. 8 seed Michael Llodra dispatching German qualifier Martin Emmrich 6-0, 6-3 and Stephane Robert putting out Argentine Leonardo Mayer 7-6 (7/4), 6-4.
The French pair meet in the next round.
PHOTO: AFP
Argentine No. 6 seed Horacio Zeballos got off to a winning start against Slovak Lukas Lacko, defeating him 6-4, 4-6, 7-5.
Spaniards Nicolas Almago and Queen’s semi-finalist Feliciano Lopez are the top two seeds, with Almagro to face Luksaz Kubit in the first round while Lopez plays British wild card James Ward.
The joint ATP-WTA event features both French Open champion Francesca Schiavone and beaten finalist Samantha Stosur of Australia.
No. 3 seed Stosur recovered from a break down in the second set to dismiss US Open quarter-finalist Melanie Oudin 6-4, 6-4, leaving the US player with five consecutive losses since her last win nearly two months ago.
“I got a bit lost in the second set,” Stosur said. “I lost serve twice, maybe I was going for shots a bit too much.
“Things can turn quickly on grass and I was able to pull it out. I’m very pleased with that effort. No matches here are easy,” she said. “To get through in straight sets, I’m very happy.”
Schiavone, due to start as No. 2 seed with a first-round match against Sorana Cirstea of Romania, said she’s still getting to grips with the enormity of having won her first Grand Slam title nine days ago.
However, the bubbly 29-year-old Italian knocked back criticism that the breakthrough might have come too late in her career.
“Everyone thinks we have to have it all early. But everyone is different. I want to live this moment, it’s a fantastic emotion,” she said. “Something has changed in my life, I’m learning new things and am enjoying it a lot. Who is to say what is ‘late’? At 29, it was the time for me.”
French No. 8 seed Marion Bartoli reached the second round by beating Russian Vera Dushevina 6-4, 7-5, while former runner-up Daniela Hantuchova started with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Britain’s Anne Keothavong.
■HENIN MAKES RETURN
AFP, ‘S-HERTOGENBOSCH, NETHERLANDS
Justine Henin hit the ground running in her first grasscourt tournament in three years by cruising into the second round of the UNICEF Open on Monday.
No. 1 Henin, champion here in 2001, beat Germany’s Angelique Kerber 6-4, 6-2 as she tunes up for a return to Wimbledon — the only Grand Slam she has never won — later this month.
The Belgian, who returned from retirement at the beginning of this year, is looking to bounce back from the disappointment of a fourth-round exit at last month’s French Open.
She will meet Roberta Vinci for a place in the quarter-finals after the Italian defeated Barbora Zahlavova Strycova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 7-6 (7/5).
There were losses for seeds Sara Errani and Anabel Medina Garrigues, as Italian No. 6 seed Errani fell 6-1, 6-3 to Austria’s Sybille Bammer and Spain’s No. 8 seed Medina Garrigues went down 4-6, 6-2, 6-3 to Dutch wild card Arantxa Rus.
Russian No. 3 seed Maria Kirilenko was victorious, prevailing 6-4, 6-1 against Romanian Raluca Olaru, while Olaru’s fifth-seeded compatriot Alexandra Dulgheru defeated France’s Julie Coin 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/4).
Former world No. 1 Ana Ivanovic of Serbia will meet German No. 7 seed Andrea Petkovic in round two thanks to a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 defeat of Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson.
Dutch No. 6 seed Thiemo de Bakker was the only major first-round casualty in the men’s draw.
He was beaten 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (7/4) by countryman Igor Sijsling.
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