PARIS, Nov. 8 (UPI) -- Richard Gasquet of France and the Czech Republic's Radek Stepanek were among the first-round winners of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris Monday.
Gasquet fired 28 aces in his 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9-7) victory over fellow Frenchman Nicolas Mahut, taking just under 2 1/2 hours to record the win.
The former Top-10 star will now go on to face former world No. 1 Roger Federer, who is coming off last week's Swiss Indoors event where he ousted Serbia's Novak Djokovic for the title.
Stepanek, meanwhile, made the round of 32 by dominating American journeyman Michael Russell 6-2, 6-0. French wildcard Arnaud Clement outslugged Spaniard Feliciano Lopez 6-7 (8-10), 7-6 (9-7), 6-3 at Palais Omnisports.
Also Monday, Jarkko Nieminen of Finland dispatched Belgian Xavier Malisse 6-4, 6-3 and will now go on to face American Andy Roddick.
