Wed Jul 30 14:24:10 2008

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Blake wins opener; Ferrer falls in Cincy

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Mason, OH (Sports Network) - Last year's Cincinnati runner-up James Blake was a routine winner, while Tennis Masters Cup finalist David Ferrer suffered a second-round setback Wednesday at the $2.615 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters tennis event.

The seventh-seeded Blake, who enjoyed an opening-round bye, dropped France's Gilles Simon 6-4, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Simon shocked world No. 1 Roger Federer in the second round at last week's Masters Series event in Toronto.

Blake, who succumbed to Federer in last year's Cincinnati finale, could have his hands full with rising 19-year-old Latvian Ernests Gulbis in the third round here on Thursday. The French Open quarterfinalist Gulbis drove out Wimbledon quarterfinalist Arnaud Clement of France, 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-5). The lucky-loser Clement entered the draw as a wild card this week when ninth- seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka pulled out with a right knee injury.

The fifth-seeded Ferrer was upended by Ecuadorian veteran Nicolas Lapentti 7-6 (7-2), 3-6, 6-3, while eighth-seeded Brit Andy Murray avoided an upset by handling American Sam Querrey 7-6 (7-3), 6-1.

The 2008 titlist here will pocket $420,000.