CHENNAI, India, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- Defending champion Guillermo Canas of Argentina overcame a slow start Tuesday to advance to the second round of the $380,000 Tata Open.
Canas, who was 15th in the 2002 ATP Champions Race, defeated Belgian Dick Norman, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3.
The 25-year-old won the title last January in straight sets over Thailand's Paradorn Srichaphan en route to the best year of his career. He also won the Tennis Masters Series event at Toronto in July and finished in the top 15 for the second consecutive year.
The second-seeded Srichaphan also enjoyed the best season of his career as he climbed more than 100 places to finish ranked No. 18. Srichaphan got the 2003 season off to a good start as he won for the second time in as many career meetings with Czech Jan Vacek, 7-5, 6-2.
Fifth-seeded Romanian Andrei Pavel and seventh seed Lars Burgsmuller of Germany were upset Tuesday.
Tomas Behrend improved to 3-0 lifetime against Pavel with a 6-3, 6-3 win and American Cecil Mamiit routed Lars Burgsmuller, 6-0, 6-3. Eighth-seeded Albert Montanes avoided an upset as he got by Frenchman Michael Llodra, 7-6 (7-5), 1-6, 6-3.
Hard-serving Australian Mark Philippoussis dispatched German qualifier Michael Kohlmann, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, and lucky loser Noam Okun of Israel beat Spaniard Juan Balcells, 7-5, 6-4. Slovakian Karol Kucera ousted American Justin Gimelstob, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-3, and Dutchman John Van Lottum defeated French qualifier Olivier Patience, 6-2, 7-6 (7-4).
