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Mathieu, Benneteau bow out in Cincinnati Masters Series

L

Lenin

Guest
Mathieu, Benneteau bow out in Cincinnati Masters Series
Posted: 29 July 2008 0604 hrs

CINCINNATI, Ohio : France's Paul-Henri Mathieu and Julien Benneteau found no change of fortune in Cincinnati on Monday, both bowing out in the first round of the hardcourt Masters Series.

Between them, the two have lost a combined eight of a dozen matches dating to June.

Mathieu fell in a flurry of 20 aces from big-hitting American Sam Querrey, who triumphed 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the first meeting between the two.

The number 23 from France has now lost three straight opening contests in a row, a change of surface from the clay of Gstaad to hardcourt last week in Toronto and the Cincinnati venue making little difference in his form.

Mathieu last put consecutive wins together in June by reaching the Wimbledon third round.

Three of his last seven defeats since the pre-Wimbledon event at Nottingham have come at the hands of Croatian Marin Cilic.

He drops dangerously close to level-pegging for 2008 with a 21-20 win-loss mark.

Mathieu managed a dozen aces, but was broken three times as Querrey moved into a second-round match with Toronto semi-finalist Andy Murray.

Sweden's Robin Soderling accounted for Benneteau 6-0, 6-3, the Frenchman now dragged down by a dismal four-match losing run.

Benneteau, ranked 57th, has lost six of his last seven since playing the fourth round at Roland Garros, where he lost to Roger Federer.

Spain's 12th seed Tommy Robredo made more misery for Mardy Fish, posting a 6-2, 6-2 victory over the American who has now lot five straight matches.

"Mardy is always a tough opponent, and last time I played him was in Australia and he destroyed me in three sets," said the Spaniard, who levelled his record with Fish at 3-3.

"I had to be very focused from the beginning, I just got the break pretty early. It's a great win and a great start."

Croatia's 20th-ranked Ivo Karlovic beat Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci 6-3, 6-4.

Latvian talent Ernests Gulbis handed Finn Jarkko Nieminen a first-round loss for a second straight week at the Masters level with his 7-6 (9/7), 6-2 victory, which followed Nieminen's loss to Tomas Berdych in Toronto last week.

Italian Andreas Seppi beat Spain's Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 7-5.

The top eight seeds at the 2.615 million-dollar event benefit from opening-round byes.

World No.1 Federer has been putting in the practise time as he tries to hold off a charge from Rafael Nadal in the tight rankings race.

Spain's Nadal, who Toronto on Sunday for his fifth consecutive tournament title, stands a mere 300 points shy of the Swiss who has been atop the table for 235 weeks.

"The most important is trying to win some matches here," said Federer, who has claimed only two minor titles this season compared to seven from Nadal.

"I didn't get that last week unfortunately, which just disappointing," Federer said of his opening loss in Canada to France's Gilles Simon.

"I've been able to get some good practice in, and I'm looking forward to this week and then obviously two huge events in front of us with the Olympic Games and US Open.

"It's an important time. I'm feeling fit and healthy, which is always key as well during a very difficult schedule this year for we players."
 
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