BANGKOK (AP) — Former finalists Viktor Troicki of Serbia and Finland’s Jarkko Nieminen each won first-round matches Tuesday at the Thailand Open.
Troicki, the runner-up in 2009, beat Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 6-7 (4), 7-5, 6-3, while Nieminen, who was a finalist two years ago, advanced when Japanese qualifier Yuichi Sugita retired with an ankle injury after dropping the first set 6-1.
Fifth-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain beat Tatsuma Ito of Japan 3-6, 6-0, 6-2.
Japanese qualifier Hiroki Moriya earned his first win on the tour this year when he beat Robin Haase of the Netherlands 2-6, 7-6 (6), 6-3, and Dudi Sela of Israel beat Marco Chiudinelli of Switzerland 6-4, 6-4.
