Robin Soderling shrugged off a slow start, firing 26 races as he lifted his game to earn a 4-6, 6-4, 6-1 win over Frenchman Florent Serra Monday and reach the second round of the Rotterdam Open. The Swede showed no signs of the elbow complaint which knocked him out of the Australian Open first round. But the third seed admitted that he could have used a quicker start. The victory was the first of the season for Soderling after losses in Chennai and Melbourne last month. Soderling cranked up his huge serve, which apart from his numerous aces also saw him break his opponent's serve three times. The world No. 8 finally sealed victory with an easy third set in a match that lasted an hour and three-quarters. Fifth seed Tommy Robredo, who also experienced a first round exit in Melbourne last month, overcame Dutch wild card Robin Haase 7-6, 6-4. German Florian Mayer got stuck into an opening-day marathon, requiring almost three hours to advance over Serb Janko Tipsarevic 6-3, 6-7 (6-8), 7-6 (8-6). The marathon took up most of the afternoon inside the Ahoy stadium in contrast to the day's opening contest when Italy's Andreas Seppi defeated Swiss qualifier Stephane Bohli 6-1, 7-5 in a shade less than 90 minutes. Lisicki speeds ahead Germany's second seed Sabine Lisicki needed just 32 minutes to advance to the second round of the Pattaya Open Monday when her opponent Akgul Amanmuradova from Uzbekistan retired injured. Lisicki was leading 5-0 when the trainer was called to administer on-court treatment to her Uzbek rival who was suffering from a stomach muscle injury. But after dropping the next game Amanmuradova conceded the match. Troubled Russian Anna Chakvetadze earned a welcome 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 victory over American Jill Craybas but was still unhappy with her form. Wimbledon junior champion Noppawan Lertcheewakarn of Thailand led South Africa's Chanelle Scheepers by a set and 4-1 but then fell 6-7 (9-11), 6-4, 6-4. Vesnina and Szavay advance Eighth-seeded Elena Vesnina of Russia and Agnes Szavay of Hungary both reached the second round of the Open GDF Suez tournament Monday. The 34th-ranked Szavay was leading 6-3, 1-0 against Olga Govortsova when the Belarus player retired, and the 29th-ranked Vesnina advanced 6-1, 6-4 against Alexandra Dulgheru of Romania. Vesnina broke Dulgheru's serve four times before serving out the match at the indoor tournament on hard courts at Stade Pierre de Coubertin. She next plays either Tathiana Garbin of Italy or qualifier Ioana Raluca Olaru of Romania. – Agencies Belluci claims Movistar title SANTIAGO, Chile – Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil won the Movistar Open on the red clay in Santiago, defeating Argentine Juan Monaco 6-2, 0-6, 6-4. Bellucci, a 22-year-old left-hander, upset top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez Saturday to reach the final. It was his second career ATP tournament title after a victory last year on clay in Gstaad, Switzerland. “After the problems in the second set, I felt I would be able to play well in the third,” said Bellucci, who was playing Monaco for the first time. Monaco also advanced to the Movistar final in 2008, only to withdraw with an ankle sprain sustained in the doubles final the day before. This was Monaco's 10th career ATP final, all on clay. Since Monaco's third and last title at Kitzbuhel, Austria in July 2007, he's now been runner-up six straight times. Safina pulls out World No. 2 Dinara Safina has pulled out of next week's Dubai tennis championships because of continuing problems with a back injury, the Russian said Monday. “Unfortunately, I will not be able to play this year because of the back injury that's been bothering me since the end of last season,” Safina was reported saying on her official website. Safina has not played since retiring injured during her fourth-round match against compatriot Maria Kirilenko at the Australian Open last month.
