Today’s Men’s News (5/7) – Madrid

Written by: Staff on 7th May 2013

Today's Men's News (5/7) - Madrid

epa03665741 Nicolas Almagro of Spain returns the ball to Juergen Melzer of Austria during their second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 17 April 2013. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER |

Madrid

Men stared slowly with the top eight seeds all given byes, leaving opening day play to lesser lights. Spain’s No. 11 Nicolas Almagro led two other seeds to victory on the red clay,m changed back from last year’s controversial blue on orders of the ATP.

The Spaniard who lost the Barcelona final to Rafael Nadal, reached the second round as German Tobias Kamke quite injured trailing 6-4. Canadian 12th seed Milos Raonic squared his Madrid record at 2-2 with a defeat of Russian veteran Nikolay Davydenko 7-5, 7-6(5).

Raonic is playing his third spring event on clay after winning a round in Monte Carlo and gaining the Barcelona semi-finals where he lost to Rafael Nadal in heavy, wet conditions. he lost to Roger Federer in the Madrid second round a year ago.

“I didn’t play my best but I got through,” Raonic said after serving just six aces in a match lasting just over 90 minutes. “I had to make the most of my game. I didn’t serve that well but I still managed to take care of my serve. late in both sets I stepped up my return game. I just made it through.”

Japanese 14th seed Kei Nishikori started with a win over Austrian Jurgen Melzer 6-3, 6-2; South African Kevin Anderson beat Canadian Jesse Levine 6-2, 6-2. American John Isner fired 13 aces and 39 winners in a defeat of Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-5, 7-6(8) while fellow American Sam Querrey lost to Pole Jerzy Janowicz 6-3, 6-4.

Kevin Anderson defeated American-turned-Canadian Jesse Levine 6-2, 6-2. Daniel Gimeno-Traver won a Spanish encounter, knocking out compatriot and hometown player Feliciano Lopez 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. Robin Haase of the Netherland defeated Alexandr Dolgopolov 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-2.