Muller into 2nd round in Rotterdam, Gasquet withdraws
Published: 18:32 EDT, 9 February 2016 | Updated: 18:32 EDT, 9 February 2016
ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Gilles Muller set up a second-round match with former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic at the World Tennis Tournament after coming from a set down to beat Andreas Seppi Tuesday.
Muller, the world No. 40, hit 19 aces on his way to a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Seppi, his first win over the Italian in four meetings.
Top-seeded Richard Gasquet - winner in Montpellier last week - withdrew from the indoor event because of illness and a groin injury.
Fourth-seeded David Goffin was upset 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (5) by Marcos Baghdatis, who came back from a 5-2 deficit in the tie-break and won a 41-shot rally on match point.
"It was an amazing point. I was just defending, slicing three meters behind the baseline," Baghdatis said. "I kept putting the ball back and making him do something and eventually he made a mistake."
Philipp Kohlschreiber advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 2013 runner-up Julien Benneteau to extend his unbeaten record against the Frenchman to six matches.
Next up for Kohlschreiber is qualifier Ivan Dodig.
Also progressing were Gael Monfils and 19-year-old Hyeon Chung, who defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
The fifth-seeded Monfils got the better of Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis, advancing with a 6-4, 6-4 win.