Wild card upsets top-seeded Ferrero

Sydney: Wild card entry Chris Guccione of Australia caused a massive upset at the Adidas International in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday, beating top-seeded Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain 6-3, 7-6(6). Guccione's compatriot Mark Philippoussis also advanced to the second round following a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory over Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain, while Hopman Cup winner James Blake of the USA was beaten 6-2, 6-4 by South African Wayne Ferreira. Hopman Cup winner beaten Fresh from his triumph at the Hopman Cup in Perth, James Blake of the USA was in Sydney, Australia to face Wayne Ferreira in the first round of the adidas International on Tuesday. However, the form that saw Blake successfully defend the Hopman Cup on January 10, with the help of Lindsay Davenport, failed to rematerialise. In contrast, South African Ferreira bounced back well from his recent first round exit at the AAPT Championship in Adelaide and hit a series of fine winners. The 32 year old took the first set with some ease and shaded the second set for a morale boosting win over a player who will be aiming for a top ten place in this year's world rankings. Ferreira's preparations for the forthcoming Australian Open took an upturn as he reached the second round with a 6-2, 6-4 victory over the 24 year old Blake. Philippoussis wins tough match Crowd favourite Mark Philippoussis began his title challenge facing 26 year old qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo. The fourth seeded Australian put his booming serve to good use in the first set. Philippoussis couldn't rely on aces alone to beat his Spanish opponent though and had to be at his best to come out on top on a series of exciting rallies. But, after conceding the first set 6-4, Ramirez Hidalgo turned the match around with a fighting display in the second. Philippoussis faced stubborn resistance and would be broken in the 12th game of a hard fought set, that Ramirez-Hidalgo took 7-5 in 48 minutes. But Philippoussis, a beaten finalist at last year's Wimbledon, lifted his game in the deciding set and went on to clinch a 6-4, 5-7, 6-2 victory. The 27 year old advances to face Britain's Greg Rusedski in the second round. Ferrero unsettled Juan Carlos Ferrero, a beaten finalist at this event in 2003, faced qualifier Chris Guccione in the first round. Guccione unsettled the tournament's top-seed with one powerful serve after another. After a nervous start, the Australian went on to take the first set 6-3 as a jaded Ferrero struggled to find a footing in the match. However, the 23 year old Spaniard found Guccione's measure in the second set, which would go to a tiebreak. But a double fault from Ferrero at 6-6 handed Guccione his fourth match points and, to the delight of the partisan crowd, the 18 year old converted with his 19th ace for a 6-3, 7-6 victory. (AP)