 Safin claimed a straight-sets win over Mahut |
Russian Marat Safin cruised into the second round of the Paris Masters with a straight-sets win over Nicolas Mahut. Three-times champion Safin, who reached the final of the Kremlin Cup two weeks ago, beat the Frenchman 6-1 7-6 (7-5).
Meanwhile Nicolas Almagro needed three tie-breakers to overcome Sweden's Jonas Bjorkman 6-7 (7-4) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (7-2).
Belguim's Olivier Rochus, Daniele Bracciali of Italy, Michael Llodra of France and Robby Ginepri of the United States also advanced.
Llodra, who missed more than two months with a fractured foot, beat Fernando Verdasco 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), while Rochus downed Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-4 7-5, Bracciali beat Gilles Simon 6-3 6-4 and Ginepri topped Max Mirnyi 6-4 5-7 6-2.
Britain's Andy Murray, seeded 13th, was not in action on Monday, having received a bye in the first round and facing Paradorn Srichaphan or Juan Ignacio Chela in round two on Wednesday.
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