Safin Loses Opener; Gaudio, Coria, Nadal Win at Barcelona

Australian Open winner Marat Safin's up and down season continued on the downward tip Wednesday at the ATP claycourt stop in Barcelona where the top-seeded Russian was dismissed 6-4, 6-4 in his opening-round match against Jose Acasuso.

"I slowed down after the Australian Open and haven't got past two rounds since then," Safin said. "It's frustrating to be in this position and there's a lot of pressure to get back. I lost all my confidence."

Safin was likewise unhappy with the reception he received from Barcelona fans expecting a better effort.

"I wasn't angry with the crowd, they were angry with me," Safin said. "But if they don't like what I do then I won't come, the tournament can save some money and I can save some time and everyone will be happy."

A handful of Roland Garros contenders advanced Wednesday among the seeded players in (2) Gaston Gaudio (d. Mantilla), (4) Guillermo Coria (d. Wessels in three), (5) Guillermo Canas (d. Arthurs), (8) Rafael Nadal (d. Muller, bagel in the first), (10) Dominik Hrbaty (d. Starace), (11) Radek Stepanek (d. Ventura), and (13) David Ferrer (d. Hernych).

The three seeded upsets on the day were orchestrated by Spain's Al Martin (d. countryman (6) Robredo) and the confidence-building Juan Carlos Ferrero (d. countryman (12) Lopez), Argentine Agustin Calleri (d. (14) Chela 7-6 in the third), and Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka (d. (15) Srichaphan 7-6 in the third).

"Well it's disappointing to lose as the defending champion but it was my first match in over a month," Robredo said. "It was very complicated today and he was playing very well. I wasn't feeling great and it's my first match on clay which takes time to get used to."

On the dirt Thursday in Barcelona are (4) Guillermo "El Fragile" Coria vs. Calleri in an all-Argentine, A.Martin vs. Ferrero in an all-Spanish, (10) Dominik "The Dominator" Hrbaty vs. (8) Rafael "The Prodigy" Nadal, Max "The Beast" Mirnyi vs. (3) Moya, (13) Ferrer vs. (2) Gaudio, (11) Stepanek vs. (5) Canas, (7) Davydenko vs. (9) T.Johansson, and Acasuso vs. (Q) Wawrinka.