VIENNA, 8 October 2003 — Third seed Jiri Novak was sent packing from the first round of the indoor CA Trophy yesterday with a 6-4, 7-6 loss to unseeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain.

Czech Novak, a finalist here last year, failed to come to grips with the 22-year-old’s serve and let rip too many unforced errors.

Novak elbowed his way back into the match in the second set, breaking Lopez’s serve in the 10th game to even the score.

But the Spaniard refused to buckle, forced a tiebreak and relinquished only three points in the decider to seal victory over a wilting Novak.

Fifth seed Agustin Calleri enjoyed an easy passage into the second round, clinching a 6-4, 6-2 win over Mariano Zabaleta in an all-Argentine battle.

The two have played each other three times this year and Calleri has emerged victorious on each occasion.

The 27-year-old Calleri, who won a maiden ATP title at Acapulco in March, next plays either Max Mirnyi of Belarus or Jan-Michael Gambill of the US in the second round.

Top seed and Wimbledon champion Roger Federer opens the defense of his Vienna crown later when he faces Spaniard David Ferrer. It will be the Swiss player’s first ATP match since the US Open in August when he lost in the fourth round to Argentina’s David Nalbandian.

Hantuchova Earns

Rematch With Clijsters

In Filderstadt, Germany, Daniela Hantuchova defeated American qualifier Lisa Raymond 6-3, 6-4 at the Filderstadt Grand Prix yesterday to set up a second round showdown with top seed and defending champion Kim Clijsters.

The world No. 13 from Slovakia managed to raise her level of play against the doubles specialist when it counted, including staving off two break points at 3-3 in the first set, and clinched victory with a single break of serve in each set.

“I was very pleased with the way I played today because Lisa is very tough to play indoors,” said Hantuchova, who lost to Clijsters in last year’s final.

“I think what made the difference was that I just kept fighting even though I was down on my service games.

“(But) there are still many things that I have to improve and against Kim I (will) have to step up and raise my level.”

Mary Pierce booked a meeting with fourth seed Jennifer Capriati in the next round after overwhelming Zimbabwean qualifier Cara Black 6-2, 6-0.