Nishikori and Baghdatis Advance in Winston-Salem Open – Melzer out

Written by: Global Chick on 23rd August 2011

Tennis Conde de Godo Trophy in Barcelona

Nishikori and Baghdatis Advance in Winston-Salem Open – Melzer out

Japanese tennis player Kei Nishikori returns the ball to Rui Machado of Portugal during their second round match at the 59th Conde de Godo Trophy tennis tournament in Barcelona, northeastern Spain, 20 April 2011. Nishikori won 6-1 and 6-4. EPA/ANDREU DALMAU |

World No. 48 Kei Nishikori of Japan struggled through his first round against Gilles Muller of Luxembourg at the Winston Salem Open today.

The Japanese qualifier won 1- 6-4 7-6 (5) in two hours and 12 minutes today despite his opponent serving 26 aces during the match. The 21-year-old has had mixed results this season. Nishikori reached the final in Houston, TX in April (l. Ryan Sweeting) and he reached the semi-finals of Delray Beach where he lost to Janko Tipsarevic. Nishikori will face the number twelve seed Pablo Andujar of Spain in the second round.

Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis advanced to the third round after a win over America’s Ryan Sweeting 7-5 6-1. The 26-year-old’s last couple of months have been tough. His best result was in s-Hertogenbosch before Wimbledon where he reached the semi-final (l.Ivan Dodig). During his American swing he reached the quarterfinals in Washington losing to Donald Young. The former world number eight lost in the first round last week in Cincinnati to James Blake. Baghdatis will face the winner of Dmitry Tursunov of Russia and Steve Darcis of Belgium.

The second seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria exited the tournament today with a loss to Russian Igor Andreev 7-5 6-3. The World No. 17 is in need of some match practice before the US Open. Melzer lost first round in Cincinnati to Gilles Simon of France and he had to retire in Washing to Donald Young in the second round. Igor Andreev plays the winner of Igor Kunitsyn and qualifier Julien Benneteau in the third round.

American qualifier Michael Russell has set up a second round clash with the number five seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia. Russell took out Adrian Mannarino of France in three sets 6-4 6-7 (3) 6-2 despite hitting 15 double faults.

The number two seeds in the doubles event at the Winston Salem Open are out of the draw. The Polish duo Mariusz Fyrstenberg and Marcin Matkowski lost to American Scott Lipsky and Brit Colin Flemming in the first round 3-6 6-7 (1) 10-4.