Davydenko Continues Winning Ways; Troicki Upset In Opener

© Rene KaramanDavydenko is 15-3 since the opening round at Roland Garros.

Top seed Nikolay Davydenko continued his winning ways at the ATP Studena Croatia Open in Umag on Wednesday, just three days after lifting his 15th ATP World Tour title at the International German Open in Hamburg.

The Russian World No. 9 was in commanding form, winning 72 per cent of service points and converting four of eight break point opportunities in a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Daniel Gimeno-Traver in 77 minutes. Davydenko, who improved to a 26-8 match record on the 2009 ATP World Tour season, will next challenge Spanish veteran Alberto Martin, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over Martin Klizan of the Slovak Republic, at the ATP World Tour 250 tennis tournament.

Spaniard David Ferrer, the No. 2 seed, was extended to three sets in his first-round match against Austrian Daniel Koellerer before finally prevailing 6-1, 6-7(2), 6-3 in two hours and 26 minutes. The World No. 20 had reached the semi-finals last week in Hamburg before falling to Davydenko.

Ferrer will take a 2-0 head-to-head record into his next match against Chilean Nicolas Massu, who battled past Slovenian wild card Blaz Kavcic 5-7, 6-3, 6-2 in two hours and 43 minutes. Massu is making his first tour-level appearance since a second round exit at Roland Garros, electing to play at clay-court Challenger tournaments the past two months. 

Sixth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro beat compatriot Marcel Granollers for the second time in as many weeks. Almagro, who successfully defended his Abierto Mexicano Telcel title at Acapulco in February, improved to 3-0 lifetime against the qualifier with a 6-1, 6-3 win in 67 minutes. The pair met last week in Hamburg.

Almagro goes on to meet former World No. 3 Ivan Ljubicic, a local favourite making his tenth appearance in Umag. Ljubicic recorded his fourth win in five meetings over Italian wild card Filippo Volandri with a comprehensive 6-1, 6-4 win in just 65 minutes. The 30 year old improved to a 18-6 record at the tournament.

Spaniard Oscar Hernandez will face Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina for the first time in the second round. Hernandez saved two of three break points in a 7-6(3), 6-1 win over Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine in just over 90 minutes. Gonzalez avenged his ARAG ATP World Team Championship loss to Serbian Viktor Troicki at Dusseldorf in May, with a marathon 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(6) win over the third seed in three hours on Grandstand court.