Mon Jul 28 18:24:52 2008

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Robredo rolls; Gonzo falls in Cincy opener

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Mason, OH (Sports Network) - Twelfth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo was an easy opening-round winner Monday, while 13th-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez went by way of the upset at the $2.615 million Western & Southern Financial Group Masters tennis event.

Robredo, a two-time semifinalist here, routed American Mardy Fish 6-2, 6-2, while big Czech Tomas Berdych ousted the former Australian Open runner-up Gonzalez 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 on the hardcourts at Lindner Family Tennis Center. Fish was the runner-up here back in 2003.

Sixteenth-seeded Croat Ivo Karlovic advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci, while American Sam Querrey outlasted France's Paul-Henri Mathieu 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 and American Robby Ginepri stopped 36-year- old Swede Jonas Bjorkman, a qualifier this week, 6-0, 7-6 (7-5). Ginepri is rewarded with a second-rounder against defending champion Roger Federer.

Additional Day-1 wins came for Swede Robin Soderling, rising Latvian Ernests Gulbis, Italian Andreas Seppi, and German Philipp Kohlschreiber, who will face former Cincy champion Andy Roddick in the round of 32. Roddick titled here in 2003 and 2006 and was the runner-up in 2005.

The aforementioned world No. 1 Swiss Federer, a two-time champion here, beat American James Blake in last year's finale. This week's top seeds are the U.S. Open champ Federer, sizzling Spaniard Rafael Nadal and Aussie Open winner Novak Djokovic. Nadal has won his last five tournaments, including last week's Rogers Cup title in Toronto, as well as Wimbledon and French Open crowns.

The 2008 titlist here will pocket $420,000.