Moya Magic Marginal in Opening Win at ATP Barcelona

The Spaniard, now almost as famous for not reaching a grand slam semifinal in almost seven years as reaching No. 1, began his Barcelona trek Tuesday with a shaky 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 win over Finland's Jarkko Nieminen.

Currently only 180 points from sliding out of the Top 10 on the ATP Rankings, Moya is looking to improve his game in a hurry in time to defend title points from 2004 at the Masters Series-Rome.

"He was a very uncomfortable opponent, what with being a left-hander and having such a strong backhand," Moya said of Nieminen. "But I eventually got the hang of it and apart from a few silly mistakes I played pretty well."

Other seeded winners Tuesday were (7) Nikolay Davydenko (d. (Q) Fogues), (9) Thomas Johansson (d. Malisse), (11) Radek Stepanek (d. Labadze from a set down), (13) Dave Ferrer (d. Spanish countryman Verdasco), and (14) Juan Ignacio Chela (d. (Q) Portas).

Leading the un-seeds was former No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero (d. Spanish countryman Montanes in three), joined in the second round by countrymen Santiago Ventura (d. (WC) Blanco) and Al Martin (d. El Aynaoui), the pride of Luxembourg Gilles Muller (d. (WC) M.Lopez), Aussie Wayne Arthurs (d. (Q) Ramirez Hidalgo), Argentina's Agustin Calleri (d. (Q) Monfils in two tiebreaks), Czech Jan Hernych (d. (WC) Murray from a set down), and in second-round play Max Mirnyi continued his claycourt tear with a straight-set win over Juan Monaco.

"I think I played very well," said Ferrero, who came back from down a break 4-5 in the third. "I kept my concentration after the (Montanes) injury break and physically I felt 100 percent although I still need to do some work on my forehand."

Scheduled for Wednesday on the dirt are (6) Robredo vs. A.Martin in an all-Spanish, Ferrero vs. (12) Feliciano Lopez in another all-ESP, Muller vs. (8) Rafael Nadal, (1) Safin vs. Acasuso, Mantilla vs. (2) Gaudio, (11) Stepanek vs. Ventura, (4) Coria vs. Peter Wessels, Arthurs vs. (5) Canas, (13) Ferrer vs. Hernych, Calleri vs. (14) Juan Ignacio Chela in an all-Argentine, (10) Dominik "Hrbaty vs. Italy's "You Say" Potito Starace, and (Q) Wawrinka vs. (15) Paradorn Srichaphan.