Kuerten crashes out

Kuerten has already qualified for the Masters Cup

Gustavo Kuerten suffered a shock defeat in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix on Tuesday, losing 7-6 6-2 to Croatian Ivan Ljubicic.

The top-seeded Brazilian, who has already qualified for the Masters Cup, lost the first set tie-break 7-1 to the 22-year-old Ljubicic and won only two more games on his way to defeat.

"Physically, I had no worries," said Kuerten. "My problem was coming back from a two-week vacation.

"I need more games to get used to fast surfaces, where I'm naturally less at ease."

That's the way I am - one day I'm the best, the next I'm the worst

Marat Safin

Earlier in the day, Marat Safin gave his chase of Masters Cup points a boost by beating Franco Squillari in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix.

Safin took just over 90 minutes to beat the Argentine 6-4 7-5.

"Last week in Moscow, I was booed by my home crowd for my second-round defeat against Dominik Hrbaty," said third-seeded Safin, who received a wild card to play in Lyon.

"That's the way I am. One day I'm the best, the next I'm the worst.

"I'm only 11th in the (Champions) Race right now and if I want to make it to the Masters Cup in Sydney, I must seize every opportunity."

Swede Jonas Bjorkman was another first-round winner with a 6-2 6-3 win over German Christian Vinck.

It was a good night for the French as Julien Benneteau defeated Italy's Gianluca Pozzi 6-3 6-3, while Sebastien Grosjean beat compatriot Julien Boutter 6-2 6-4.