Even before he got on court, defending champion Xavier Malisse knew he had a match on his hands. Not because he was coming off a long lay-off, but because his opponent answering to the name of Gilles Muller possesses such a big serve that can trouble even the best in the business. Andy Roddick knows that better.
However, after making a dramatic entry – in an open auto -- to the centre court at the Nungambakkam Tennis stadium, Malisse more or less sealed the match within few minutes of the start. Unlike last year, Malisse didn't do anything extraordinary, but Muller did all the work for the champion.
Though Malisse showed flashes of brilliance, it was Muller's inability to test his opponent with his serve which was the decisive factor. Riding more on his opponent's largesse, Malisse began his Chennai Open title defence with a 6-4, 6-3 victory.
“Feels good to win again,” Malisse said after the 73-minute workout. “Especially after a long time, it gives you the confidence going into next rounds. I get the feeling that I can win again and it's really nice to be back."
Given a grand welcome to centre court, Malisse made the first-round a no-contest, straightaway breaking Muller in the opening game itself. Besides struggling to get his booming first serves in, a slew of errors flowed from Muller's racquet.
Brilliant forehand
Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, Malisse grabbed the chance with both hands. Returning as well as he is capable of and moving even better, Malisse forced Muller into errors. After three errors from Muller, the Belgian came up with a brilliant forehand crosscourt winner to break his opponent. Having spent most of last season off court due to a right wrist injury, the early break got Malisse going. That break gave him the confidence and there was more spring in his stride too.
He had a chance to go 3-0 up, but wasted two break opportunities. But that didn't alter the momentum. For a brief while, Muller, ranked five places below the Belgian at 117, did get his feared thunderbolts going. That had what fetched him a stunning first round win over Roddick at the US Open two years ago.
Aces did flow thick and fast from Muller's racquet, but Malisse didn't have problems holding his own. Muller tried to mix it up to change the fortunes, but without much success. He tried coming to the net more often, but Malisse was making those blistering passes. One such, on the run backhand, had both Muller and the crowd looking on in total disbelief.
After taking the opening set in 36 minutes, Malisse broke in the third game of the second set. “In every match you get a chance. That's the time you got to take it,” said Malisse. He took that in the third game and never looked back thereafter.
On the outside courts, National champion Vishnu Vardhan's debut in the big league ended in disaster. India's new grasscourt champion went down without a whimper to Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France at 1-6, 2-6.
In doubles action, Rafael Nadal and Bartolome Salva-Vidal, last year's runners-up, fell in the first round to Marcos Baghdatis and Marc Gicquel combine 4-6, 4-6.
Results (I round): Singles: Xavier Malisse (Bel) bt Gilles Muller (Lux) 6-4, 6-3; Jurgen Melzer (Aut) bt Paul Capdeville (Chi) 6-2, 6-4; Edouard Roger-Vasselin (Fra) bt Vishnu Vardhan (Ind) 6-1, 6-2; Florent Serra (Fra) bt Ivan Navarro (Esp) 6-4, 7-6 (8-6); Mikhail Youznhy (Rus) bt Jiri Vanek (Cze) 6-3, 6-2.
Doubles: Marcos Baghdatis (Cyp)/ Marc Gicquel (Fra) bt Rafael Nadal/ Bartlome Salva-Vidal (Esp) 6-4, 6-4; Yves Allegro (Sui)/ Nicolas Mahut (Fra) bt Stephen Huss (Aus)/ David Martin (USA) 6-1, 6-2; Jaroslav Levinsky (Cze)/ Michal Mertinak (Svk) bt Prakash Amritraj/ Stephen Amritraj (Ind) 6-2; 7-6 (7-4).
Qualifiers (Final round): Alexandre Kudryavtseva (Rus) bt Igor Kunitsyn (Rus) 6-4, 6-4; Lovro Zovko (Cro) bt Kristian Pless (Den) 3-6, 6-1, 6-2; Rajeev Ram (USA) bt Harel Levy (Isr) 7-6 (7-4), 6-1; Alexander Peya (Aut) bt Stefano Galvani (Ita) 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
