Wed Mar 26 16:37:22 2008

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Tursunov wins Sony Ericsson opener

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Miami, FL (Sports Network) - Russian Dmitry Tursunov was among Wednesday's first-round winners at the $3.77 million Sony Ericsson Open, the second of nine ATP Masters Series events this year.

Tursunov came from behind to beat fellow Russian Evgeny Korolev 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 on Day 1 at Crandon Park.

American qualifier Sam Warburg defeated Italian Potito Starace 7-6 (7-2), 6-2, while Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro erased American wild card Jesse Levine 7-5, 6-1.

Additional opening-round wins came for Spaniard Albert Montanes, Italian Andreas Seppi, Croat Marin Cilic, Frenchman Nicolas Mahut and German qualifier Benjamin Becker.

Serbian star Novak Djokovic defeated gritty Argentine Guillermo Canas in last year's Miami finale. The high-flying Djokovic is also the reigning Australian Open champion and captured last week's Masters Series title at Indian Wells.

The top seeds at this 12-day, 96-player hardcourt tournament are two-time champion Roger Federer, French Open titlist Rafael Nadal and Djokovic.

The 2008 winner here will claim $590,000.