Davydenko wins again at Kremlin Cup

Nikolay Davydenko kept on rolling at the Kremlin Cup.

The top-seeded Russian opened the $1 million hardcourt event Tuesday with a 6-1, 7-5 victory over Frenchman Florent Serra.

The two-time reigning champion of this event, Davydenko ran his winning streak here to 11 matches and appears primed to extend the run with unseeded Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez awaiting him in the second round.

Davydenko, also a champion here in 2004, remains the clear favorite to claim yet another trophy. The world No. 5 and top-ranked Russian, he is the only player in the draw ranked inside the top 15.

The 14-time champion is not the only fan favorite in this field, however.

Former No. 1 and two-time Grand Slam champion Marat Safin, the seventh seed, reached the second round with a 7-6, (7-5), 3-6, 6-4 win over Israel’s Noam Okun.

Currently ranked 40th, Safin appeared to be regaining his top-10 form when he reached the Wimbledon semifinals, but he is just 6-7 since.

The upset of the day was turned in by Uzbekistani qualifier Denis Istomin, who knocked off sixth-seeded Frenchman Michael Llodra, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. The world No. 121 will face another Frenchman, 35-year-old Fabrice Santoro, in the second round.

Eighth-seeded Serb Janko Tipsarevic was nearly ousted as well but managed a 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (8-6) win over Russia’s Alexandre Kudryavtsev.

Other winners Tuesday were Julien Benneteau, Viktor Troicki, Dudi Sela and Robby Ginepri.

First prize is $171,000.

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