Tennis: Sela reaches second round in Miami

Shahar Pe'er is also in Miami and will face Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy in the second round.

By ALLON SINAI, AP
Dudi Sela 298.88 (photo credit: AP)
Dudi Sela 298.88
(photo credit: AP)
Dudi Sela recorded an impressive win against Korea's Hyung-Taik Lee in the first round of the Sony Ericsson Open in Miami on Thursday, setting up a second round meeting with world No. 14 Tommy Robredo. The Israeli, who will celebrate his 23rd birthday next Friday, defeated Lee (48) 6-4, 6-3, breaking the Korean three times and saving all five of his opponents break points. Sela, who is currently ranked at a career best No. 61 in the world, is expected to climb into the world's top 60 after Thursday's victory at the massive $3,770,000 tournament. Shahar Pe'er is also in Miami and will face Frenchwoman Nathalie Dechy in the second round over the weekend after receiving a first round bye. Struggling Marat Safin hit another low when he lost to American qualifier Bobby Reynolds 7-6 (3), 4-6, 7-6 (5) in the first round on Thursday. Safin, a two-time Grand Slam champion, fell to 1-5 in 2008. He hasn't won a title since the 2005 Australian Open, and his ranking has fallen from 56th to 90th since the start of the year. Safin was beaten despite losing serve only once. He led 3-1 in the final tiebreaker but had five unforced errors in the last eight points. Reynolds, ranked 104th, snapped a four-match losing streak. Also eliminated was France's Michael Llodra, one of five players with two ATP titles this year. He was beaten by Jurgen Melzer of Austria 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5). Dominik Hrbaty's 12th consecutive appearance at Key Biscayne ended quickly when he lost to 19-year-old Ernests Gulbis of Latvia, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1. The match was the first since the US Open for Hrbaty, who is coming back from elbow surgery. In women's play, Ai Sugiyama beat Russian 17-year-old Anastasia Pivovarova 6-3, 7-6 (2). Another Russian, 19-year-old qualifier Alisa Kleybanova, beat Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-3, 6-7 (6), 6-2. Seeded players had first-round byes and begin action on Friday.