Top Seed Andujar Tested in Belgrade Opener

By Erik Gudris

Photo Credit: Abdeljalil Bounhar/AP

(May 3rd, 2012) For top seed Pablo Andujar, his debut at the Serbia Open was anything but a pleasant start to the event as he was forced to battle in three sets before finally winning his opening match.

Andujar, who is seeking his second ATP title of the year (his first being in Casablanca last month) squared off against Italy's Filippo Volandri and it was the Italian who claimed the first set. Andujar, despite serving a mediocre 54% for the match, saved 10 of 14 break points against him, a stat that helped him rally to a 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 win in over two hours of play.

"Always in your first match you have to try and stay as focused as you can; it’s never going to be easy," said Andujar later, "I was down 6-4, 5-4 and I tried to continue playing my game and finally I made it and I’m really happy for that."

Currently ranked No. 38 in the world, Andujar is chasing after a possible top 32 seeding in time for Roland Garros coming up in at the end of the month. Andujar will next meet Lukas Rosol who earned the only break of the match against Romania's Victor Hanescu to earn a 7-6, 6-3 win and with it his first ever berth into an ATP main tour event quarterfinal.

But it was the always unpredictable tall man from France, Benoit Paire, who earned the win of the day as he battled against Spain's Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Even though Paire served a dismal 45% for the match, it didn't stop him from earning a 4-6, 7-5, 7-5 victory that helps him break the .500 mark in terms of wins and losses on the year.