Top two seeds advance in Vienna

Marin Cilic stayed alive in his long-odds race for a place in next month's season-ending ATP final as he defeated Colombian Alejandro Falla 6-2, 6-3 Tuesday to reach the second round of the Bank Austria Trophy.

Cilic, finalist in Beijing against Novak Djokovic, broke five times in his comprehensive win, which took an hour and a quarter.

The Croatian top seed stands provisional 12th for one of two remaining spots in the year-end tournament, to be played from November 22 in London.

Second seed Radek Stepanekalso moved through smoothly, defeating Pole Lucasz Kubot 6-4, 6-1.

Germany's defending champion Philipp Petzschner withdrew injured from his title defence, but his replacement earned a victory.

Qualifying lucky loser Michael Berrer took the substitute win in place of his compatriot as he defeated Belgian Steve Darcis 6-3, 6-2.

Fourth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber piled on additional German success as he took out countryman Dieter Kindlmann 6-1, 6-3.

Spain's sixth seed and former champion Feliciano Lopez continued to benefit from what he calls a lucky haircut, beating Austrian wild card Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4, 6-4.

Petzschner pulled out before his match with a left calf injury suffered a day earlier in training. The unseeded number 74 beat Gael Monfils for the title in 2008.

"I hurt myself Monday morning in the calf. I took a step and felt a sharp pain," he said. "I tried to hit this morning and did every treatment possible. But the risk of a serious injury is just too great."

Lopez won his only career trophy five years ago in Vienna and has played the event regularly, notching a 15-4 record and reaching at least the quarter-finals in his five previous visits.

The Spaniard said he got a desperation haircut a few weeks ago as the weight of 10 losses in the first round this season began to mount.

It seemed to work well, with the 28-year-old then reaching his first semi-final at the Masters level, losing in the final four in Shanghai 10 days ago to good friend Rafael Nadal.

"I didn't know what else, so I cut my hair. All of a sudden I started to win, so I don't want to change a thing now," he explained.

Lopez is fighting to end on a high note with three more weeks of ATP regular-season play remaining.

"I feel great and ready to carry on," said Lopez, who suffered an ankle injury against Nadal in China and had to retire. "I'm playing solid now and just want to continue like this. My ankle is fine."

--DPA

abr/dg

( 434 Words)

2009-10-28-13:30:58 (IANS)

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