Hamburg, Germany, Jul 20: Top-seeded Gael Monfils of France bounced back from a first-round loss last week in Stuttgart to beat Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos 6-4, 6-2 on Wednesday and advance to the third round of the German Open.
Monfils, who is ranked No. 7 and who reached the quarterfinals of the French Open, saved all five break points he faced to ease past Ramos, who is in his first full season on the tour.
Second-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria, who was runner-up in Hamburg last year, advanced by beating Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain 6-3, 5-7, 6-1.
Third-seeded Nicolas Almagro also went through, beating Lukas Rosol of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-4. All 16 seeded players had first-round byes.
Not all made it through to the third round.
Juan Monaco of Argentina beat ninth-seeded Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia 6-2, 6-4 and Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic ousted No. 13 Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-1, 7-5.
Sixth-seeded Florian Mayer of Germany beat Turkish qualifier Marsel Ilhan 6-4, 7-6 (5) and No. 8 Fernando Verdasco defeated fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-2, 6-3.
No. 12 Marin Cilic of Croatia fired 16 aces in beating German qualifier Bastian Knittel 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-4. AP
