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Nalbandian advances in Monte Carlo

MONTE CARLO, Monaco, April 16 (UPI) -- David Nalbandian rallied Monday for a first-round victory in the $2.82 million clay-court Masters Series Monte Carlo.

The tournament, considered a key tune-up for next month's French Open, gives its top eight seeds first-round byes. The No. 9 Nalbandian was the highest seeded player in the opening round.

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Nalbandian won just three games in the first set but lost just three in the last two in defeating Federico Luzzi 3-6, 6-2, 6-1.

No. 14-seeded Marcos Baghdatis was ousted in straight sets by Max Mirnyi in the upset of the day. No. 13 Mikhail Youzhny advanced with a 6-2, 3-1 score when Carlos Moya, who suffered a left adductor injury and 16th-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero was a 7-5, 6-2 winner over Tim Henman.

Other first-round winners Monday were Gaston Gaudio, Andreas Seppi, Igor Andreev, Radek Stepanek, Robin Soderling, Marc Gicquel, Kristof Vliegen and Juan Ignacio Chela.

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