Safin crashes out

Safin paid the price for a string of unforced errors

Click here for Wednesday's results from Rotterdam

Czech number two Bohdan Ulihrach pushed third-seeded Marat Safin out of the World Indoor tournament with a 1-6 6-3 6-2 second round victory.

Earlier on Wednesday, Britain's Greg Rusedski and top seed Juan Carlos Ferrero were both knocked out in the Rotterdam tournament's first round.

Safin won the first set dropping only one game, but he never looked comfortable and made numerous unforced errors throughout the match.

Ulihrach produced an outstanding performance

Ulihrach put in an inspired display against the Australian Open finalist and stepped up the pressure in the third set to secure a last eight clash with either sixth seed Tim Henman or France's Fabrice Santoro.

"He was just too good for me today," said the Russian, a semi-finalist in Rotterdam three years ago.

"It's a little difficult to play him as you've got to keep up with him. But I just did not play any great tennis and easily gave him the breaks."

France's Arnaud Clement beat British number two Rusedski 6-3 7-6 (7/4) and defending champion Nicolas Escude put out Ferrero with a 5-7 6-1 6-0 victory.

Rusedski failed to capitalise on six break points in the first set.

Clement, though, needed only two attempts to break the big-serving Briton.

Rusedski maintained his composure and managed to take the second set to a tie-break.

But Clement raced into a 4-0 lead and went on to clinch the match comfortably.

Ferrero won five games in a row to come from 5-2 down to take the first set.

Clement took advantage of Rusedski's poor form

But the Spaniard's grip on the game was shortlived as Escude won every game from 1-1 in the second set to power to victory.

"I started to make a lot of mistakes while Escude was playing good tennis and was attacking my second serve all the time," Ferrero said.

The Frenchman wil now face Spain's Tommy Robredo in the second round.

After his defeat, Rusedski was keen to pay his his dues to his opponent.

"Arnaud didn't make the unforced errors and the big shots were the key. I must have missed 10 to 15 shots within an inch," said Rusedski.

Clement will meet Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson in the second round.

Max Mirnyi of Belarus was a 6-3 6-2 winner over Czech Jiri Novak.

And seventh seed Roger Federer, runner-up last year, showed his class as he ousted Dutch wildcard John van Lottum 6-3 6-4.

He will now face Thomas Enqvist, a 6-2 6-3 winner over Andrei Pavel, in the second round.

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First round results from Rotterdam on Wednesday:

Arnaud Clement (Fra) beat Greg Rusedski (Gbr) 6-3 7-6
Nicolas Escude (Fra) beat Juan Carlos Ferrero (Spa,1) 5-7 6-1 6-0
Max Mirnyi (Bel) beat Jiri Novak (Cze) 6-3 6-2
Roger Federer (Swi,7) beat John van Lottum (Ned) 6-3 6-4
Max Mirnyi (Bel) beat Jiri Novak (Cze) 6-3 6-2
Thomas Enqvist (Swe) bt Andrei Pavel (Rom) 6-2 6-3

Second Round:
Bohdan Ulihrach (Cze) beat Marat Safin (Rus,3) 1-6 6-3 6-2

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