Top-seeded Davydenko Survives at ATP St. Poelten

Top-seeded Nikolay Davydenko, not used to finding himself in the latter rounds of tournaments during the claycourt season, overcame fatigue and took advantage of a good draw defeating Slovak qualifier Michel Mertinak in straight sets to advance to the second round at the ATP stop in St. Poelten.

Davydenko was coming off a semifinal effort last week at the Masters Series-Hamburg.

"I am content with the result," Davydenko said. "I was a bit tired from last week in Hamburg, so going through was my main task."

Other seeded winners Monday were (4) Jurgen Melzer (d. (WC) Mirnegg), (5) Mariano Puerta (d. Calatrava), and (7) Potito Starace (d. Kohlschreiber).

Un-seeds into the second round were four Spaniards in (WC) Felix Mantilla (d. countryman (Q) Fogues), Nicolas Almagro (d. Karlovic in two tiebreaks), (Q) Dave Sanchez (d. Ginepri from a set down) and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez (d. Lisnard), Luxembourg's Gilles Muller (d. Montanes who retired with a lower back injury), and Argentina's Jose Acasuso (d. (3) Andreev from a set down).

On court Tuesday in St. Poelten are Muller vs. (4) Jurgen "Tuna" Melzer, Christophe "The Roach" Rochus vs. (2) Paradorn "The Thai Fighter" Srichaphan, (1) Davydenko vs. Schalken, (Q) Kohlmann vs. (8)T Zib, (WC) Mantilla vs. (5) Puerta, (7) "You Say" Potito Starace vs. (Q) D.Sanchez, Hernych vs. Hanescu, and Vanek vs. Sanguinetti.