Robredo wins Lyon opener

Lyon, France – Fifth-seeded Spaniard Tommy Robredo was among Monday’s first-round winners at the $860,000 Lyon Tennis Grand Prix.

Robredo rolled past France’s own Michael Llodra 6-4, 6-3 on the indoor carpet at Palais des Sports Lyon Gerland.

France’s Julien Benneteau blitzed his compatriot Arnaud Clement 6-3, 6-2, while rising Belgian Steve Darcis outlasted wild card and Czech veteran Radek Stepanek 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Clement was the champion here in 2000.

In other opening-day play, French qualifier Josselin Ouanna dismissed Croat Ivan Ljubicic 6-7 (2-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 and former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain downed American Sam Querrey 6-3, 7-5. The fading Ljubicic titled here back in 2001.

This week’s top seeds are American star Andy Roddick and smooth Frenchman Richard Gasquet. The former top-ranked and 2005 Lyon champion Roddick will open his stay against France’s Nicolas Mahut on Tuesday, while the 2006 Lyon titlist Gasquet will encounter Colombian Santiago Giraldo.

Sebastien Grosjean bested Marc Gicquel in last year’s popular all-French Lyon finale.

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