Bangkok - Germans posted a pair of wins to start their week at the Thailand Open on Tuesday, with Michael Berrer setting up a repeat confrontation in the second round with top seed Andy Murray.
Berrer, who lost to the Scot at the French Open, earned his spot against the world number four as he put out Swiss qualifier Marco Chiudinelli, one of Roger Federer's best friends, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.
Matthias Bachinger sent home Australian qualifier Greg Jones 7-5, 6-4 and next plays Thai Danai Udomchoke at the Impact arena.
Murray will be playing less than a fortnight after he led Britain to a Davis Cup European zonal victory. The Scot was vocal in his complaints about what he branded an over-booked ATP calendar, but managed to show up in Asia for what promises to be a run concluding with the Shanghai Masters next month.
French second seed Gael Monfils, also a late arrival from Europe, starts his Thai debut with a second-round match after a bye, playing Santiago Giraldo of Colombia.
Italian qualifier Simone Bolelli beat Ernests Gulbis 7-6 (7-5), 7-6 (7-5) while American Donald Young moved through as Russian Igor Andreev quit injured trailing 7-6 (8-6), 2-1.
2010 runner-up Jarkko Nieminen faced a tough battle due to illness as the Finn rallied past his physical problems to tame 1,848th-ranked Austrian teenager Dominic Thiem 6-1, 4-6, 7-5.
Thiem, 18, who lost the French Open junior final in June, was competing in only his second match at the ATP level after Kitzbuehel in August on clay.
Though the 30-year-old Nieminen whipped through the opening set in 25 minutes as he reeled off the last three games, wild card Thiem managed to win the second as the ailing veteran's level slipped.
But in the third, Nieminen's experience proved too strong, with the three-time Bangkok semi-finalist losing a break in the eighth game but getting it back in the final game to earn the victory in two hours.
Nieminen said that he became ill with a fever on the flight from Helsinki to Bangkok and has spent three days in bed.
Despite a re-lapse on Monday, he was able to take to the court, though the doctor did visit him at the start of the final set to ensure all was well.
“I went full from start to finish and tried not to show anything (emotion) on court,” said the winner. “I felt I played well in some parts of the match.
“He's a very talented player and did well. He was nervous at the start but soon got used to the tempo,”
Nieminen said he will try to be ready when he plays in the next round against Dutchman Robin Haase, a frequent practice partner.
“We know each other's game very well, there are no surprises,” said the Finn. “There are no excuses, if I go onto the court, I'm fit to play.”
Nieminen has a long history in Bangkok, first playing the event in 2003 and competing for his sixth time.
“The court suits my game and I really like the atmosphere,” said the former number 13 whose ranking has dropped to 50th.
Nieminen is struggling this season and needs another victory to reach his fist quarter-final of the year. - Sapa-dpa