Seeds Johansson, Blake Open With Wins at ATP Stockholm
Posted on October 12, 2005Seeds went 2-for-2 Tuesday at the ATP stop in Stockholm, with top-seeded and defending champ Thomas Johansson edging 18-year-old Swedish wildcard Ervin Eleskovic in two tiebreaks, and No. 6 James Blake straight-setting Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
"I've been feeling very good during practice but today I wasn't playing well," Johansson said. "Most things need to improve, I was a little nervous. He was hitting the ball unbelievably well and I had to defend myself. I gave him some advice three days ago and was regretting that when I was on the court today."
Also into the second round were Swiss qualifier George Bastl (d. (Q) Cakl), French lucky loser Julien Benneteau (d. countryman Mathieu), and qualifier Rainer Schuettler (d. 3-time Stockholm winner (WC) Enqvist).
On court Wednesday in Stockholm are Beck vs. (4) Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, Behrend vs. Gael "Force" Monfils, Moodie vs. (WC) Bjorkman, (1) T.Johansson vs. Spadea, Massu vs. (7) Nieminen, Acasuso vs. Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, (5) Olivier "The Other Roach" Rochus vs. (Q) Niemeyer, Sanguinetti vs. (Q) Bastl, and Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. Juan "The Principality" Monaco.
"I've been feeling very good during practice but today I wasn't playing well," Johansson said. "Most things need to improve, I was a little nervous. He was hitting the ball unbelievably well and I had to defend myself. I gave him some advice three days ago and was regretting that when I was on the court today."
Also into the second round were Swiss qualifier George Bastl (d. (Q) Cakl), French lucky loser Julien Benneteau (d. countryman Mathieu), and qualifier Rainer Schuettler (d. 3-time Stockholm winner (WC) Enqvist).
On court Wednesday in Stockholm are Beck vs. (4) Mario "Baby Goran" Ancic, Behrend vs. Gael "Force" Monfils, Moodie vs. (WC) Bjorkman, (1) T.Johansson vs. Spadea, Massu vs. (7) Nieminen, Acasuso vs. Christophe "The Roach" Rochus, (5) Olivier "The Other Roach" Rochus vs. (Q) Niemeyer, Sanguinetti vs. (Q) Bastl, and Xavier "X-Man" Malisse vs. Juan "The Principality" Monaco.