Ivanisevic through in Russia

Ivanisevic won with few problems

Goran Ivanisevic eased past Nicolas Massu of Chile 6-2 6-3 to reach the second round of the St Petersburg Open.

"I like playing in Russia," said the Wimbledon champion, seeded five.

"Unfortunately, I didn't do too well here last year, but hopefully I can repeat my success in Moscow from a few years ago."

The big-serving Croatian won the Kremlin Cup in Moscow in 1996.

I probably still have two more years to play tennis

Goran Ivanisevic

Ivanisevic served 14 aces and no double faults against Massu and often produced a big serve on key points.

"It's a nice feeling to come up with the big serve when you need it, but I didn't serve particularly well in the first set," he said.

"I had trouble with the light...it took me one set to adjust to the light."

Ivanisevic added he was still having trouble with a persistent shoulder injury.

Surgery

"I was thinking of having surgery at the end of the year but then I decided not to," he said.

"I probably still have two more years to play tennis and if I have surgery it would take me five or six months to come back, so I'd rather take the painkillers instead."

The 30-year-old added that he would stop playing if the pain persisted.

Number eight seed Nicolas Escude became the first seeded casualty of the tournament, losing 6-2 7-6 to Belarussian Vladimir Voltchkov.

Fellow Frenchman and sixth seed Fabrice Santoro advanced safely to the second round, defeating Russian wild card Mikhail Elgin 6-4 6-3.

Daniel Vacek also went through, beating Olivier Rochus 6-3 7-6 (7-3).

At the Stockholm Open, fourth seed Guillermo Canas beat Germany's Nicolas Kiefer 6-3, 6-2.

Other winners at the tournament included Younes El Aynaoui, Robin Soderling and Wayne Ferreira.