Karlovic Ousts The Dominator at St. Petersburg

Big-serving Croatian "Dr." Ivo Karlovic provided the biggest upset Tuesday at the ATP stop in St. Petersburg, outlasting No. 2 seed Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty 7-6(5), 5-7, 6-4.

Also upset was No. 8-seeded Russian Igor Andreev (l. to Muller in three), while seeds into the second round were No. 4 Mikhail Youzhny (d. (Q) Ram 7-6 in the third) and No. 7 Michael Llodra (d. (WC) Elgin).

Other un-seeds into the second round were German qualifier Michael Kohlmann (d. Carraz in three), Slovak Karol Beck (d. (Q) Vanek), Max "The Beast" Mirnyi (d. Ricardo Mello "Yello" in two breakers, dropping 14 aces), "Grinning" Greg Rusedski (d. (WC) Rosset, dropping 12 science-like aces), and veteran Spaniard Alex Corretja (d. Mathieu).

"I feel I am playing well and it is getting better with every match," Grinning Greg said. "I sense I am getting back to the level I was a few years back. The confidence is here, the tennis is coming and I am really looking forward to the next season."

Wednesday's match-ups in St. Pete are Stepanek vs. Grinning Greg, Irakli "Freak Show" Labadze vs. Sargsian, (1) Safin vs. (Q) Peya, Beck vs. (5) Davydenko, Muller vs. Julien "United Colors of" Benneteau, and (3) Fish vs. Saulnier.