Gasquet begins with Rotterdam win

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP) –

Richard Gasquet from France reacts after winning his match against Victor Troicki from Serbia during their first round match of the ATP ABN AMRO Tennis tournament in Rotterdam, in the Netherlands on February 13, 2013.

French seeds moved smoothly ahead indoors at the Rotterdam World Tennis on Wednesday, with number four Richard Gasquet picking up where he left off after winning a title at the weekend.

The world number 10 cited the tiebreaker as the turning point in a 7-6 (7/3), 6-1 defeat of Serb Victor Troicki to reach the second round.

“Winning the breaker was the key to the match,” said last week’s champion in Montpellier less than 60 kilometres from his family home in the south of France. “I played well and was then more confident at the start of the second set.

“It was the perfect start for me.”

Gasquet has become the first man this season on the ATP to win multiple titles after starting out in January with Doha honours. The last time he won more than one title in a season was 2006 when he claimed three,

“I’ve only lost once this year,” said the 15-1 Gasquet. “Of course I hope to keep going like this. My only defeat was to (Jo-Wilfried) Tsonga in Australia. I’m fighting as much as I can for ranking points, that’s why I’m here.”

Fifth seed Gilles Simon won his second-round encounter with Italian Matteo Viola 6-3, 6-1 while compatriot Julien Benneteau joined him in the quarter-finals at the Ahoy stadium with a victory over Romanian Victor Hanescu 6-1, 6-3.

German qualifier Matthias Bachinger earned an upset win over Andreas Seppi, the Italian sixth seed, 6-3, 6-4.

Holder Roger Federer was opening his week with a first-round match against Slovenian Grega Zemlja.