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Nalbandian, Gonzalez win in first round at Basel tennis

BASEL, Switzerland - David Nalbandian and Fernando
Gonzalez both took crucial first steps toward a berth in the
Tennis Masters Cup.

The second seed from Argentina, Nalbandian cruised to a 6-2, 6-4
victory over Croatian Roko Karanusic on Wednesday in the first
round of the Davidoff Swiss Indoors.

The world's third-ranked player, Nalbandian needs to reach the
final of this $1.073 million tournament in order to secure a
berth for the season-ending Tennis Masters Cup championship next
month in Shanghai, China.

Nalbandian will square off in the second round with Feliciano
Lopez, who rallied for a 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 win over fellow
Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo on Wednesday.

The 25-year-old Nalbandian entered the week sixth in the Masters
points race but can climb as high as fifth thanks to Nikolay
Davydenko, who retired from his second-round match in St.
Petersburg on Wednesday with an ankle injury.

While Nalbandian easily advanced to the second round, Gonzalez
battled to get past Italian Simone Bolelli, 7-6 (7-3), 6-7
(2-7), 7-6 (7-3). The third seed from Chile and the defending
winner of this event, Gonzalez recorded 22 aces and saved four
of the five break points he faced.

Currently ninth in the Masters points race, Gonzalez can climb
as high as seventh if he wins this tournament. He next will
face unseeded American Mardy Fish, who defeated Czech native
Jiri Vanek on Tuesday, 6-4, 6-3.

"There are just two weeks left," Gonzalez said. "So I will keep
trying hard to qualify for Shanghai."

The only other seeded player to advance Wednesday was No. 7
Argentine Jose Acasuso, who recorded a 6-4, 6-3 win over Albert
Montanes of Spain. Eighth-seeded Agustin Calleri of Argentina
was ousted by local favorite Stanislas Wawrinka, who held on for
a 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 upset.

The 21-year-old Wawrinka faces off in the second round with
Great Britain's Tim Henman, who posted a 6-2, 6-3 win over
Belgian Christophe Rochus. Unseeded Argentine Juan Martin Del
Potro also advanced to the second round on Wednesday with a 3-6,
6-3, 6-2 victory over Tobias Clemens of Germany.

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