Newport, RI – Top-seeded American favorite Sam Querrey succumbed to a compatriot, while last year's runner-up, Lleyton Hewitt, was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
Tim Smyczek took out the 2009 Newport runner-up Querrey in 6-4, 7-6 (10-8) fashion on the grass courts at the International Tennis Hall of Fame and Museum, while the fourth-seeded former world No. 1 Hewitt humbled fellow Aussie Matthew Ebden 6-4, 6-1.
This week's second seed, 6-foot-10 American John Isner, defeated the former Wimbledon champion Hewitt in last year's Newport finale for his second straight title here.
Meanwhile, third-seeded Dutchman Igor Sijsling avoided an opening-round upset by beating Italian Matteo Viola 6-4, 6-1 and eighth-seeded American Rajeev Ram routed Swiss qualifier Adrien Bossel 6-2, 6-2, but more upsets came when 6- foot-10 Croat Ivo Karlovic decked fifth-seeded Frenchman Edouard Roger- Vasselin 7-6 (7-5), 6-4, and American Jack Sock topped sixth-seeded Aussie Marinko Matosevic, 6-2, retired. Ram was the surprise Newport champion in 2009, beating Querrey in an all-American finale.
Americans Michael Russell and Alex Kuzentsov both advanced to the second round with wins over Illya Marcheko (6-1, 4-6, 6-4) and Kenney De Schepper (6-3, 6-4), respectively. Fellow countryman Rhyne Williams wasn't as lucky, though, as he was ousted by 2007 Newport runner-up Nicolas Mahut in straight sets, 6-2, 6-4.
Also on Day 2, Indian wild card Prakash Amritraj whipped Italian Flavio Cipolla 6-2, 6-3, Canadian Vasek Pospisil overcame American Denis Kudla 1-6, 6-3, 6-3, and Czech Jan Hernych beat Croatian fellow qualifier Ante Pavic 7-6 (8-6), 6-3. Amritraj was a Newport runner-up in 2008.
The winner of this $520,000 event will claim $78,000.
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