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Safin, Haas in second round of President`s Cup
Tashkent, Sept 11: Top-seeded Marat Safin of Russia and No. 2 Tommy Haas of Germany moved into the second round of the $550,000 ATP President`s Cup on Tuesday.
Safin, ranked third in the world, had an easy win over French qualifier Gregory Carraz 6-2 6-4, but Haas had a tougher time against Marc Rosset of Switzerland, winning 4-6 7-6 (7/2) 6-3.
The German lost the opening set after double-faulting on a breakpoint and allowed the Swiss wild card to break him in the seventh game. The second set went to a tiebreak and the 24-year-old needed an early break in the third to take the match.
Third-seeded Yevgeny Kafelnikov of Russia played an exhausting three-setter against Alexander Waske of Germany, winning 6-7 (6/8) 7-6 (7/5) 7-6 (8/6).
After trading a set each in tiebreaks, Kafelnikov came back from 2-5 down in the third and 5-1 down in the tiebreak to wrap up the match.
Waske, ranked 147th in the world, served 37 aces in the match, which lasted 2 hours, 24 minutes.
Rising Asian star Paradorn Srichaphan of Thailand, seeded fifth, confidently moved into the next round after crushing Anthony Dupuis of France 6-1 6-2 in just 45 minutes.
In the day's upset, Fourth-seeded Rainer Schuettler of Germany fell to Kristian Pless of Denmark 6-7 (4/7) 2-6. Bureau Report