MADRID, 14 October 2003 — Gaston Gaudio claimed his third straight victory over Jarkko Nieminen as he opened play yesterday at the 2.45-million-euro Madrid Masters Series with a 6-3, 5-7, 6-2 defeat of the Flying Finn.

The Argentine did lose his first set ever against Nieminen, ranked 32nd in the world.

Both of Gaudio’s previous victories in the series came on clay last season, in Mallorca and Amersfoot in the Netherlands.

Nieminen’s defeat means he drops to 41-27 this season, which includes a Munich final against Wimbledon winner Roger Federer and semifinals in Milan and Bangkok.

Yesterday’s play was strictly from support acts as all 16 seeds received byes into the second round at the penultimate Masters of the season. Spain’s world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero heads the field and will play his opening match against experienced South African Wayne Ferreira.

The California-based Ferreira, troubled since a fall at the French Open by a groin strain, opened with a victory over Croatian Ivan Ljubicic 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-5).

Juan Chela made it two early wins on the day for Argentina — missing David Nalbandian, and Guillermo Coria through injury — as he ousted Spaniard Alberto Martin 6-4, 1-6, 6-1.

American Andy Roddick, leader in the Champions points race, is seeded second and starts against the winner from compatriot James Blake and Max Mirnyi, a semifinalist last week in Vienna.

Federer, holder of six titles who claimed his most recent on Sunday in the Austrian capital, is seeded third, with an opening match against one of two Spaniards, veteran Alex Corretja and teenager Rafael Nadal.

Fifth seed Carlos Moya, the losing Vienna finalist, will play in the second round against Gaudio. Rainer Schuettler, winner of two titles in two weeks, is seeded fourth and plays in the second round against either qualifier Olivier Rochus or American Roobby Ginepri.

Spain’s Martinez Defeated

in Zurich Opener

Spain’s Conchita Martinez suffered a first-round defeat to American qualifier Amy Frazier on the opening day of the Swisscom Challenge yesterday.

Frazier, the world number 75 who came through three qualifying rounds in Zurich, came back from a set down to overcome veteran Martinez 4-6, 6-4, 6-1.

Martinez, ranked 13 in the world, suffered a second round defeat to Justine Henin-Hardenne in Filderstadt, Germany, last week and failed to discover her form as Frazier comfortably won the deciding set.

Frazier will face either seventh-seeded Russian Vera Zvonareva or fellow American Meghann Shaughnessy, who were to play later in the second round.

Sixth seed Ai Sugiyama of Japan came through a tough encounter with Spanish qualifier Magui Serna 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to move into the second round.

Serna, who qualified for the main draw as a lucky loser following the withdrawal of American Lindsay Davenport because of injury, saved 11 break points as she pushed Sugiyama all the way.

Another qualifier, Tina Pisnik awaits Sugiyama in the second round after the young Slovenian overcame South Africa’s Amanda Coetzer 6-3, 6-0. Israel’s Anna Pistolesi won yesterday’s opening match 6-2, 7-5 against Italy’s Silvia Farina Elia to book a tie with second seed and world number two Henin-Hardenne in the second round.