“I definitely get angry at myself, frustrated at myself. … I’m a competitor. I’m going to want to win everything I play, whether it’s tennis, golf, cards, checkers, chess. Anything,” Blake said. “I want to win. So if I’m not winning, I’m getting frustrated.” There have been plenty of chances to feel that way this season for the former top-five player, including Monday night, when past Legg Mason Tennis Classic champion Blake lost to 119th-ranked qualifier Ryan Sweeting 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the first round.

“I’ve got to get back to the way I know I can play,” said Blake, who has lost his opening match at six of 12 tournaments this season and is ranked 105th.

Another player who used to be at the top of the sport and now is outside the top 100, David Nalbandian, made a successful return to the ATP circuit. Nalbandian beat Rajeev Ram 6-4, 6-0 to win his first tour match since being sidelined with a left hamstring injury 3 1/2 months ago.

Nalbandian was ranked as high as No. 3 and reached the final at Wimbledon in 2002. But he hasn’t played in a tournament since losing in the quarterfinals on clay at Monte Carlo in April, and he’s currently No. 117. He was given a wild card to play in Washington.

“If I do well, everybody’s going to think I’m back,” the Argentine said. “If I lose, they’ll say, ‘Still a long way to go.’ But that’s the way it is. I’m feeling good.” Next up for Nalbandian is fifth-seeded Stanislas Wawrinka of Switzerland, while Sweeting will play No. 14 Michael Llodra of France. Qualifier Grega Zemlja eliminated Benjamin Becker 6-2, 6-3 to set up a second-round match Tuesday night against No. 2 Andy Roddick.

In other action Monday, Igor Kunitsyn beat Kei Nishikori 6-2, 6-3, Karol Beck defeated Michael Berrer 6-3, 6-4, Viktor Troicki beat Kevin Kim 6-1, 6-2, and Illya Marchenko knocked off 2003 Australian Open finalist Rainer Schuettler.

Blake’s first ATP title came at the Washington hard-court tournament in 2002, but he’s not been having that sort of success recently: He’s 10-12 in 2010.

He had openings against Sweeting, but went 0 for 4 on break points in the final set.

“I played tentative,” Blake said. “When you don’t have a lot of matches, you’re not going after the shots. … I need to play more matches, and I need to find a way to get that confidence back.” Blake was in this one, serving at 1-1, 30-all in the third set, when things fell apart. He pushed a running forehand long, then hit a forehand that clipped the net cord before falling on Blake’s side. That began the six-point run that ended with Sweeting ahead 3-1.

Sweeting faced at least one break point in each of his service games the rest of the way. On one, at 15-40 in the eighth game, Sweeting hit a 125 mph service winner.
 

In San Diego,  California, former world number one Dinara Safina ended a six match losing streak by beating Alona Bondarenko 6-1, 7-6 in the first round of the San Diego Open on Monday.

Safina was joined in the second round by another Russian, Alisa Kleybanova, who overcame Aravane Rezai of France 6-2 5-7 6-3 to earn herself a match up against top seed Jelena Jankovic.

Safina, who has slumped to number 35 in the rankings after struggling with a back injury this year, proved too strong for her Ukrainian opponent

The Russian will play either fourth-seed Agnieszka Radwanska or Chanelle Scheepers in the next round.

Safina came out on top in a number of crosscourt backhand rallies and kept her composure as Bondarenko frequently lost her temper, smacking her racket on the court time and time again.

Bondarenko was able to push the Russian into a second set tiebreaker but Safina wrestled control quickly, ripping three crisp winners to win it 7-2 when Bondarenko produced a forehand error.

“I needed the win,” “Safina said. “Last week I lost a tiebreaker and in practice I lost one because I was playing defensive. Tonight I said I’m not going to play defensive and be aggressive and whatever happens, happens.”