Last year’s runner-up Philipp Kohlschreiber cruised past qualifier Thomas Fabbiano of Italy 6-4, 6-3 to reach the second round at the Open de Moselle on Tuesday.
The sixth-seeded Kohlschreiber didn’t face a single break point and broke Fabbiano three times to end the 21-year-old Italian player’s hopes of claiming his maiden Tour win.
Eighth-seeded Gilles Simon of France won his first match in five attempts at the indoor tournament with a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 win over Jamaican Dustin Brown.
Simon, who took part in France’s 5-0 thrashing of Argentina in the Davis Cup semi-final over the weekend, won 23 of 24 points played on his first serve and converted two of his 11 break points.
“It was a good match, I went through pretty easily and felt really good on the court,” Simon said. “I was able to read his serve and break him early in the match which made it comfortable for me. I had never won a main draw match here in Metz so I am definitely happy about being through today.”
Jarkko Nieminen of Finland and Xavier Malisse of Belgium also advanced with straight-sets wins.
Nieminen beat Benjamin Becker of Germany 6-3, 7-6 (2) and Malisse downed French qualifier Edouard Roger-Vasselin 7-6 (3), 6-4.
Nieminen will next face either Kristof Vliegen of Belgium or Federico Del Bonis, the Argentine who replaced the injured Michael Llodra in the draw.
Organizers said Llodra withdrew from the tournament after picking up a calf injury while on Davis Cup duty for France.
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