Davydenko scores a win in Spain

VALENCIA, Spain, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Nikolay Davydenko polished off fifth-seeded Gilles Simon in three sets Monday in the first round of the Valencia Open in Spain.

The former Top 5 player took 2 hours, 14 minutes to dispatch Simon 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in the hard-courts competition.

In other Monday action, Canadian Vasek Pospisil beat American John Isner 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9); Italian Fabio Fognini defeated Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-4, 6-3; and Frenchman Nicolas Mahut topped Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

This week's top seeds are two-time champion David Ferrer and Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, who won last week's Vienna tournament.

Spaniards have won six of the last eight titles in Valencia.

The 2011 Valencia titlist will collect $455,000 of the event's $1.9 million.