Kremlin Cup: Davydenko beats Vanek

Moscow: Nikolay Davydenko blanked an ailing Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic 6-0, 6-0 on Tuesday, a 37-minute rout that sent the top-seeded Russian into the second round at the Kremlin Cup. Davydenko, the 2004 champion who is ranked No 5, is going for his fourth title this season. "It was too easy today,'' Davydenko said. ``Jiri was suffering pain in his back and could not challenge throughout the match.'' Marat Safin also won easily on the new carpet at the Olympic Indoor Stadium, beating Nicolas Mahut of France 6-3, 6-4. "It's a fast surface,'' said Safin, who had 12 aces. "The one who serves better will win the tournament.'' Other matches Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany upset third-seeded Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 6-2, 7-5. Both players held their serve in the second set until Kohlschreiber broke Youzhny in the eleventh game. The German, trailing 40-30 in the next game, eventually won the match with an ace. In other matches, sixth-seeded Julien Benneteau of France beat Sergio Roitman of Argentina 6-3, 6-0 and Daniele Bracciali of Italy topped fourth-seeded Fernando Verdasco when the Spaniard retired with a virus while trailing 6-7 (4), 6-4, 1-0. Robin Vik of the Czech Republic beat Jiri Novak 6-4, 6-3; and Arnaud Clement of France rallied to beat German qualifier Mischa Zverev 4-6, 6-3, 6-2. Women's matches In the women's first round, Francesca Schiavone, who led Italy to its first Fed Cup title last month, rallied to beat Maria Kirilenko of Russia 3-6, 7-5, 7-6 (3). Kirilenko led 5-4 and 40-30 on Schiavone's serve in the ninth game of the third set but returned wide to waist her only match point.

Also, Anna Chakvetadze upset seventh-seeded Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-2 in a match between Russians. The top four seeded players - Amelie Mauresmo, Maria Sharapova, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Elena Dementieva - have byes in the first round.(AP)