HOUSTON - Nine first round singles matches filled a busy Tuesday schedule at the US Men's Clay Court Championship at River Oaks Country Club, and all but the last were decided in straight sets.
Ivo Karlovic, the 2007 champion, earned a 7-6(5) 6-4 win over sixth seed Benjamin Becker. Karlovic, who hit 50 aces during his three qualifying matches, hit eight during Monday’s match. He moves is now 6-0 all-time against Becker.
It's Karlovic's fourth straight win here in Houston this year, as the Croat had to qualifying. In his three qualifying matches, he fired a total of 50 aces, including 29 in Sunday's second around against Jose Acasuso. That single-match total would be a tournament record had it occurred in a main draw match.
Sixth seed Kei Nishikori needed just over an hour to pick up at 6-3 6-2 win over qualifier Franco Skugor.
The tournament wild cards had mixed results on the day. Ryan Sweeting picked up a wild card win, downing countryman Tim Smyczek 6-2 6-2. However Argentina's Horacio Zeballos, the 2009 ATP World Tour Newcomer of the Year, defeated wild card Ryan Harrison 6-4 6-3.
And in the nightcap, James Blake and Carlos Berlocq played three tough sets, and had to wait out a 54-minute power outage midway through the second set. Blake prevailed 6-7(3) 6-3 6-4 to claim his first win on clay since May 2009.
Here are Tuesday's singles results
[Q] Ivo Karlovic (CRO) d [5] Benjamin Becker (GER) 76(5) 64
[6] Kei Nishikori (JPN) d [Q] Franco Skugor (CRO) 63 62
Horacio Zeballos (ARG) d [WC] Ryan Harrison (USA) 64 63
[WC] James Blake (USA) d Carlos Berlocq (ARG) 67(3) 63 64
Somdev Devvarman (IND) d Robert Kendrick (USA) 62 61
[WC] Ryan Sweeting (USA) d [Q] Tim Smyczek (USA) 62 62
Albert Ramos (ESP) d Brian Dabul (ARG) 64 75
Igor Kunitsyn (RUS) d Mischa Zverev (GER) 76(1) 62
Teymuraz Gabashvili (RUS) d [Q] Paul Capdeville (CHI) 64 76(4)
