Nalbandian eliminates Malisse in Stockholm Open 1st round

PanARMENIAN.Net - Argentina’s Armenian-born David Nalbandian saved two match points to rally past Belgian Xavier Malisse with a 4-6, 7-6(6), 7-6(3) scoreline and reached the second round of Stockholm Open, an ATP World Tour 250 Event, being played in Stockholm, Sweden, TennisEarth reported.

Nalbandian and Malisse first clashed in the Wimbledon semi-finals back in 2002. Nalbandian edged it in five sets (7-6 6-4 1-6 2-6 6-2) and has gone on to enjoy the better career, reaching a career best ranking of three in 2006 and making the semi-finals or better at all four majors.

In another first-round encounter, Canadian Milos Raonic overcame a strong challenge of Marcos Baghdatis and earned a hard-fought win in the end with a 7-6(5), 6-7(4), 6-4 scoreline. Raonic fired 22 aces during the two-hour, 22-minute match that saw only a single break of serve.

Fifth-seeded South African Kevin Anderson will take on German veteran Tommy Haas in the second-round. Anderson edged past Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain 7-6(1), 7-6(4). In another first-round encounter, World No. 109 Tobias Kamke earned his 14th tour-level win of the season as he beat eighth seed Tommy Robredo 6-2, 6-3.