Arazi back from the brink

Hicham Arazi will take on Max Mirnyi in the next round

Click here for Wednesday's results

Hicham Arazi was one point from defeat before fighting back to beat ninth seed Sjeng Schalken in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix.

The Moroccan saved a match point at 5-4 down in the second set, and never looked back.

He took the following two games and broke the Dutchman's serve once in the final set to secure a surprise 2-6 7-5 6-3 win.

Arazi will take on Max Mirnyi of Belarus in the second round.

Galo Blanco could not trouble Nicolas Kiefer

Defending champion Arnaud Clement of France struggled to overcome compatriot and wild card Michael Llodra.

The Australian Open finalist lost the first set but regained his composure to take the match 4-6 6-3 6-1 and set up a clash with Belgium's Xavier Malisse.

Malisse also made hard work of his first-round encounter against Slovakia's Karol Kucera.

He faced three set points in the opening set before going on to claim a 7-6 6-1 victory, and will next face either defending champion Arnaud Clement or wild card Michael Llodra.

Mirnyi was another player to struggle into the second round, coming back to beat Germany's Rainer Schuettler 4-6 6-4 6-3.

In the other first-round matches, Nicolas Kiefer of Germany beat Spain's Galo Blanco 7-5 6-3.

And Arazi's compatriot Younes El Aynaoui knocked out number eight seed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, 6-2 7-6,

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Results from Wednesday's action in the Lyon Grand Prix:

First round:
Younes El Aynaoui (Mor) bt Nicolas Lapentti [8] (Ecu) 6-2 7-6
Arnaud Clement [5] (Fra) bt Michael Llodra (Fra) 4-6 6-3 6-1
Xavier Malisse (Bel) bt Karol Kucera (Svk) 7-6 6-1
Hicham Arazi (Mor) bt Sjeng Schalken [9] (Ned) 2-6 7-5 6-3
Max Mirnyi (Blr) bt Rainer Schuttler (Ger) 4-6 6-4 6-3
Nicolas Kiefer (Ger) bt Galo Blanco (Spa) 7-5 6-3

Second round:
Gaston Gaudio (Arg) bt Michal Tabara (Cze) 3-6 7-5 6-3

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