Safin Shakes Off Early Deficit To Advance In Swedish Open

Bastad, Sweden (AHN) - Marat Safin continued his quest to regain glory in the sport he once ruled, overcoming Spanish qualifier Marc Lopez 7-6 (6), 7-5 in the first round of the Swedish Open on Tuesday.

Safin, the former world no. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion, shook off an 0-3 deficit in the early going to nail a second-round berth in the clay-court event. It was the Russian's first match in Bastad in 10 years, who later admitted that he had a hard time adjusting to the surface after coming off a semifinal stint in Wimbledon.

He next faces Potito Starace, who wielded the lone upset axe in the opening round-a 6-7 (4), 7-6 (6), 6-4 dismantling of 2002 champion Carlos Moya.

There were no marquee players who got booted out, partly because all the top four seeds-reigning titlist and topseed David Ferrer, no. 2 Fernando Verdasco, no. 3 Tommy Robredo and no. 4 Tomas Berdych-drew first-round byes.

No. 8 Robin Soderling advanced to the second round but not before scraping past Fabio Fognini 6-1, 6-7 (5), 7-5. Seventh-seeded Jarkko Nieminen, meanwhile, had an easier time, cruising to a 6-4, 6-2 romp over Sergio Roitman.