Ferrero sweeps into second round
(Reuters)
Updated: 2004-09-15 16:45

  Juan Carlos Ferrero thrashed American Justin Gimelstob 6-4 6-1 in a rain-interrupted match to reach the second round of the China Open on Wednesday.

The Spanish second seed, who has struggled with injury all year, overcame three rain delays in the first set to advance to the last 16 of the $500,000 tournament in Beijing.

 Ferrero, a former world number one and the 2003 French Open champion, has battled stomach, back and wrist injuries and was sidelined for part of the claycourt season by chickenpox.

 But he showed few signs of those problems against Gimelstob, wrapping up the first set with a thumping forehand down the line.

 Ferrero dominated the second set, breaking Gimelstob twice before closing out the match with an unreturnable serve after 74 minutes at Beijing Tennis Centre.

 The 24-year-old, who has not won a title this season and has dropped out of the top 10 for the first time since May 2002, will next face Kevin Kim after the American crushed Germany's Lars Burgsmueller 6-2 6-2.

 Meanwhile, Russian Mikhail Youzhny overcame Switzerland's Ivo Heuberger 7-5 7-6 in a match that was halted on Tuesday as rain caused havoc at the inaugural China Open.

 Top seed Carlos Moya of Spain, Russian Marat Safin and Argentina's David Nalbandian were scheduled to play later on Wednesday. 

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