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OEIRAS, Portugal -- Nikolay Davydenko, the 2003 champion,
beat Vince Spadea 7-6 (3), 6-3 in the opening round of the Estoril
Open on Monday, and top-seeded woman Flavia Pennetta of Italy saved
a match point before advancing. Davydenko defeated Spadea for the first time in four meetings.
He recovered from 5-2 down in the first set and 30 unforced errors
against Spadea. The second-seeded Russian could end up meeting
compatriot Marat Safin in the second round for the third time this
year. Safin won both matches. Safin, the 2004 finalist, opens
against Italian qualifier Fabio Fognini. Gilles Muller of Luxembourg served 10 aces in routing
eighth-seeded Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 6-0, and Justin
Gimelstob overcame Czech Lukas Dlouhy 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. Third-seeded Tommy Robredo, the 2005 Estoril finalist and a
runner-up on Sunday at Barcelona, withdrew with an abdominal
injury, along with Spain's Nicolas Almagro (back), France's Gilles
Simon (fatigue) and Romania's Victor Hanescu (abdominals). In women's play, Pennetta fought off a match point at 6-5 in the
final set to beat Elena Vesnina of Russia 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (2). Fourth-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy withdrew with a leg injury,
and her place in the draw was taken by fifth-seeded Vera Dushevina.
The Russian lost to Italy's Antonella Serra Zanetti 6-4, 6-4. Argentina's Mariana Diaz-Oliva beat ninth-seeded Virginie
Razzano of France 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, and Argentina's Paola Suarez
topped Spain's Maria Sanchez Lorenzo 7-5, 6-3.
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