The seeds all advanced in Bangkok on Thursday, with top seed
Ivan Ljubicic improving his match record for the season to 53-16 with a hard-fought 7-6(6), 7-5 win over the man who retired
Andre Agassi,
Benjamin Becker, in second-round play.
The third-ranked Ljubicic will next face No. 7 seed
Robby Ginepri, a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Thailand's Danie Udomchoke.
No. 3 seed
James Blake had little trouble dismantling Benjamin Ballerey 6-3, 6-2. For the effort, Blake gets a date Friday with the speedy Fin
Jarkko Nieminen who edged Canadian
Frank Dancevic 2-6, 7-5(3), 6-4.
Following a big win Wednesday over countryman
Andy Murray,
Tim Henman beat another Brit, 22-year-old
Alex Bogdanovic 6-3, 5-7, 6-1. Henman broke Bogdanovic's serve five times from 14 opportunities and won 41 of 55 points on first serve.
The 32-year-old Henman will play No. 8 seed
Paradorn Srichaphan who thrilled the locals with 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 victory over Swedish qualifier
Michael Ryderstedt.
Former world No. 1
Marat Safin remains in the mix after a 7-6(5), 6-7(3) 6-2 victory over
Julien Benneteau to set up a meeting with Mischa Zverev. The qualifier Zverez took out
Rainer Schuettler 7-6(7), 7-5.
