SHANGHAI , 24 September 2003— Top seed Jiri Novak made short work of his opponent and wild card Guillermo Canas was also among the first round winners yesterday at the Shanghai Open.

Novak played a key role last week in guiding Czech Republic to victory over Thailand in the Davis Cup and the 28-year-old did not hang around with a 6-2, 7-6 (7-5) win against Dennis van Scheppingen.

The Czech faces Robert Kendrick next after the young American survived three tie-breaks with German qualifier Bjorn Phau for a spot in the second round.

Kendrick’s 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-3), 7-6 (7-5) win snapped a six-match losing streak in ATP events.

Canas, the Argentine playing for only the second time since sustaining a wrist injury in January, fought through a pair of tie-breaks to defeat qualifier Alex Kim, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-0).

The Argentine, who was close to the ATP top ten in 2002, will take on Eric Taino in the second round after the American upset number six seed Hyung-Taik Lee, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4).

Lee was coming off a solid week in Seoul where he won the Challenger event in his native country but faltered against Taino, who won his fifth ATP match this year.

Flying Finn Settles in for

Win Over Thai in Bangkok

In Bangkok, Finnish fifth seed Jarkko Nieminen left the locals with one sole survivor Tuesday at the $550,000 Thailand Open as he eliminated Davis Cup player Danai Udomchoke 6-4, 6-1.

The first-round defeat, which took exactly one hour at the Impact arena, was coupled with the ousting of lucky loser Sonchat Ratiwatana, who went down to a 7-5, 1-6, 6-4 defeat earlier against Israel’s Jonathan Erlich in just over two hours.

The scenario — not surprisingly — leaves world No. 11 and national tennis hero Paradorn Srichaphan as the last Thai standing.

The popular fourth seed opens his campaign at the event’s inaugural edition against Vladimir Voltchkov of Belarus.

Nieminen had to struggle through a tough first set featuring four consecutive breaks of serve before finally getting control of Udomchoke’s game.

But once comfortable, there was no stopping the man from the north, who improved to 37-23 this season.

The lingering effects of an overhead smash from a day earlier ended the hopes of qualifier Jaymon Crabb as the Australian quit trailing 7-5, 2-1 with a shoulder problem.

American Brian Vahaly earned the first-round victory as Crabb, 25, won his career-first ATP level match by defeating countryman Andrew Ilie at the Australian Open last January, stopped in pain after 61 minutes.

Vahaley, whose best showing this season was a semi-final at Memphis in February, was never under threat as Crabb was bothered by the shoulder, which he hurt on a shot gone wrong during a doubles match Monday.

Action picks up pace today, with nine first-round matches scheduled.

Going into action are world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero, compatriot Carlos Moya and Paradorn. Also in action: number Frenchman Fabrice Santoro and No. 8 Taylor Dent, who will play South African Wesley Moodie.

Dokic to Face Clijsters After

Edging Out Qualifier

In Leipzig, Germany, top seed Kim Clijsters will play former top 10 player Jelena Dokic in the second round of the Leipzig Grand Prix after the Yugoslav edged past Croatian qualifier Jelena Kostanic 7-6, 6-4 yesterday.

Dokic, who is trying to rebuild her career after its behind-the-scenes traumas, struggled throughout and had to save a set point before taking the first set on a tiebreak.

She later admitted that she faces a long haul back to the upper echelons of the sport.

“It doesn’t come back just like that,” Dokic, now ranked 26th in the world, said. “I think it will take a few months but I am getting there. Every match I will just try to play well and not worry about winning.

In later play Meghann Shaughnessy became the first seeded casualty, the American seventh seed going down 7-6, 7-6 to Belgian Els Callens.

Second seed Justine Henin-Hardenne begins her quest to close the gap on world number one Kim Clijsters on Tuesday with a second round meeting with Czech Denisa Chladkova.

It will be Henin’s first match since beating Clijsters in the US Open final 16 days ago.