Rotterdam, The Netherlands – Fifth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon posted a first-round victory Monday at the $1.7 million ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.
The former top-10 star Simon got past German Daniel Brands 7-6 (7-3), 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at Ahoy Rotterdam.
A Day-1 upset came when Romanian veteran Victor Hanescu took out seventh- seeded rising Pole Jerzy Janowicz 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Also on Monday, Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov outlasted Aussie Bernard Tomic 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, Slovak Martin Klizan snuck past Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 3-6, 7-5, and Italian qualifier Matteo Viola overcame Spaniard Marcel Granollers 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
This week's top seeds are the great Roger Federer and former U.S. Open champ Juan Martin del Potro. The field also features last week's champion in Montpellier -- Richard Gasquet.
The reigning Rotterdam champ Federer will open his Rotterdam stay against Slovenian Grega Zemlja. The 17-time major champion and reigning Wimbledon titlist beat del Potro in last year's marquee finale and also titled here in 2005.
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