Defeats American Robby Ginepri 7-6 (5), 6-2 and advances to the second round of the US Clay Court Championship.
By ALLON SINAI, APDudi Sela 298.88(photo credit: AP)
Dudi Sela continued his recent good form in Houston on Monday night, defeating American Robby Ginepri 7-6 (5), 6-2 to advance to the second round of the US Clay Court Championship.
Sela, who is ranked No. 60 in the world, will next face Wayne Odesnik (117), who beat Amer Delic 6-3, 6-3 in the first round on Monday.
Meanwhile, Roger Federer rallied from a set down to defeat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 Tuesday in the first round of the clay-court Estoril Open.
The top-ranked Swiss player had 17 aces, but also many unforced errors, against the 80th-ranked Belgian. It was Federer's first match since he started working with coach Jose Higueras, a clay-court specialist.
Federer is struggling through his worst start to a season since 2000 - the last time he went four tournaments without a victory. Only two Grand Slam titles short of tying Pete Sampras' record of 14, Federer still needs to win the French Open to complete a career Grand Slam.
Second-seeded Nikolay Davydenko also made a shaky start against Jurgen Melzer, but recovered to win 6-3, 6-1.
Davydenko, coming off a victory at the Sony Ericsson Open, lost his first service game and trailed 2-0 before breaking his opponent's serve three times in the first set.
The Russian won the Estoril Open title in 2003 and lost in the final two years ago.
Third-seeded Ivo Karlovic withdrew because of an injury while trailing 6-4, 1-0 against Rui Machado, and eighth-seeded Michael Berrer defeated Gastao Elias 6-4, 7-5.
In the women's event, top-seeded Flavia Pennetta dropped the opening set against Yvonne Meusburger before recovering to win 4-6, 6-0, 6-2.
Second-seeded Maria Kirilenko also struggled before beating Stefanie Vogele, and fifth-seeded Tathiana Garbin knocked out Yuliya Beygelzimer.
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