Tue Jul 15 14:40:54 2008

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Schuettler wins; Seppi, Calleri exit Austrian Open

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Kitzbuhel, Austria (Sports Network) - Wimbledon semifinalist Rainer Schuettler was among the first-round winners, while third-seeded Argentine Agustin Calleri was an upset victim Tuesday at the clay-court Austrian Open. Top-seeded Italian Andreas Seppi pulled out of the draw, citing a groin injury on Day 2.

After rain wiped out Monday's schedule at Sportpark, 16 matches were on the Day-2 slate here.

The second-seeded Schuettler overcame fellow German Andreas Beck 3-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, while Calleri succumbed to Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-4, 6-4. Calleri titled here in 2006.

Last year's Kitzbuhel runner-up, Potito Starace, advanced with a 6-1, 6-2 pasting of Colombian qualifier Santiago Giraldo. The fourth-seeded Starace, of Italy, lost to Argentine Juan Monaco in last year's finale.

Three other seeds moved on, as No. 5 Argentine Eduardo Schwank leveled German Michael Berrer 6-4, 6-1; No. 6 Austrian favorite Jurgen Melzer mauled Peru's Luis Horna 6-3, 6-1; and No. 7 Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro, fresh off his first career ATP title in Stuttgart last week, drilled French qualifier Josselin Ouanna 6-3, 6-3.

Another Day-2 upset occurred when Czech Ivo Minar took out eighth-seeded Belgian Olivier Rochus 3-6, 6-4, 6-0.

Another titlist from last week, Romanian Victor Hanescu, reached the second round this week with a 6-3, 1-6, 7-6 (7-2) victory over Spaniard Pablo Andujar. Hanescu nailed down his first career ATP title last week in Gstaad.

Additional opening-round wins came for German qualifier Daniel Brands, Argentines Brian Dabul, Leonardo Mayer and Sergio Roitman, France's Nicolas Devilder, Austrian wild cards Daniel Koellerer and Alexander Peya, and Czech Jan Hernych. Devilder handled lucky-loser Matthias Bachinger 6-3, 6-3, as Bachinger replaced Seppi in the draw.

The 2008 Kitzbuhel titlist will claim $185,000.