Hrbaty helps himself to opening Stockholm win

Oct 6, 2008, 16:50 GMT

Stockholm - Veteran Dominik Hrbaty won his first match since the Beijing Olympics as the 30-year-old continues to wind down his career, advancing on Monday at the Stockholm Open.

The Slovak started with a defeat of Spain's Pablo Andujar 6-2, 6-1 in less than an hour. It was Hrbaty's fourth victory of a sparse season during which he has played just 11 matches.

Part of the problem which delayed his 2008 start until the Miami event in March was a wrist injury, with the veteran's highlight match a good-natured first-round loss at Wimbledon to good friend and occasional practise partner Roger Federer.

In the late absence of Federer, who is cutting back in autumn campaign with an eye of being fully rested for the Australian Open in January, David Nalbandian heads the draw.

The number seven Argentine is making his debut at the Kungligahallen, opening against American Bobby Reynolds, an 89th-ranked journeyman.

Nalbandian played himself into an alternate's place into the season-ending Masters Cup with a sterling indoor season in 2007 but did not make the trip to Shanghai.

The winner exploded into indoor form with back-to-back titles at the Masters events in Madrid and Paris.

Along the way he beat Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer twice each. But so far, the world number 7 won his only title in Buenos Aires on clay in the spring.

Croatian Mario Ancic takes the second seeding, opening against Olivier Rochus of Belgium.

Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador, back after a nine-year absence, started with a victory in nearly three hours as he overcame Ivan Navarro of Spain 3-6, 7-6 (9-7), 7-5.