Mon Feb 18 18:00:48 2008

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Nalbandian rolls in Buenos Aires opener

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Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Top-seeded Argentine hero David Nalbandian was an easy first-round winner Monday at the $466,000 Copa Telmex tennis event.

The former Wimbledon runner-up and Masters Cup titlist Nalbandian cruised past Aussie Peter Luczak 6-3, 6-3 on the red clay at Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club. The world No. 11 Cordoba native prevailed in 1 hour, 12 minutes with the help of 10 aces and four service breaks.

Seventh-seeded Italian Potito Starace held off Serbian Boris Pashanski 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, while Czech Jiri Vanek erased Argentine favorite Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 7-5.

Argentine Juan Monaco beat Italian Alessio Di Mauro in last year's clay-court finale here.

The 2008 Buenos Aires titlist will pocket $74,000.