Paris, France (Sports Network) - Former champions Tomas Berdych and flashy
Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga were both opening-round winners Tuesday at the
$3.15 million BNP Paribas Masters, the final ATP World Tour Masters 1000
tournament of the year.
Berdych was challenged by Andreas Seppi in a 55-minute opening set, but took
the tiebreak and rolled to a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 victory. The fifth-seeded Czech
won here in 2005
Tsonga, seeded sixth, outlasted fellow Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-2, 4-6,
7-6 (7-2) in 2 hours, 24 minutes on the indoor hardcourts at Bercy's Palais
Omnisports. The 2008 Paris Masters titlist lost to Roger Federer in last
year's finale.
Also in the second round, rising star Jerzy Janowicz of Poland ousted 13th-
seeded Croat Marin Cilic 7-6 (8-6), 6-2, 15th-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori
topped France's Benoit Paire 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, and 16th-seeded Swiss Stanislas
Wawrinka cruised past Argentine Carlos Berlocq 6-3, 6-2.
In opening-round action, American Sam Querrey was leading Fernando Verdasco
6-1, 1-1 when the Spanish left-hander retired on Day 2. Querrey's second-round
opponent will be second-seeded soon-to-be year-end No. 1 Novak Djokovic.
In other first-round action, France's Paul-Henri Mathieu bested Spaniard
Roberto Bautista-Agut 6-4, 7-5; Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov doused Austrian
Jurgen Melzer 7-6 (7-2), 6-2; Dutchman Igor Sijsling drove out last week's
Valencia runner-up Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-4, 6-2; Frenchman Michael
Llodra handled Spanish lucky-loser Daniel Gimeno-Traver 7-5, 6-3; and France's
Jeremy Chardy drilled Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-0, 6-3. Mathieu will
meet third-seeded U.S. Open champion and Olympic gold medalist Andy Murray on
Wednesday.
Also on Wednesday, fourth-seeded Spanish star David Ferrer will face fellow
countryman Marcel Granollers and seventh-seeded Argentine slugger Juan Martin
del Potro will take on fellow South American Alejandro Falla of Colombia.
Ferrer is fresh off his title in Valencia, while del Potro titled in Basel
last week by upsetting Federer in the final in Federer's Swiss hometown.
The newest Paris Masters champion will pocket $620,000.
The Sports Network