May 11, 2008 - 5:37 PM
0 shoutsHAMBURG, Germany (Ticker) -- Things have become so tough for Ivan Ljubicic that he has to battle out of the first round these days.
Ljubicic had to rally for a 6-7 (6-8), 7-5, 7-6 (7-4) victory over Belgium's Steve Darcis in the first round of the ATP Masters Series Hamburg on Sunday.
Once ranked as high as third in the world during the 2006 season, the Croatian has fallen on hard times of late, winning just 10 of 17 matches this season to fall to a ranking of 29th.
Avoiding an early exit from a tournament for the fourth time this season, Ljubicic set up a second-round matchup with fourth seed Nikolay Davydenko of Russia.
The third-ranked player in the world, Davydenko was one of the top eight seeds to get a first-round bye in this $3.5 million red clay event. With No. 8 Andy Roddick dropping out due to a back injury, ninth seed Tomas Berdych will not begin play until the second round.
The top seed here is Roger Federer, who returns to the site of one of his more memorable victories.
The world No. 1 has won this tournament four times in the past six years, including last season when he solved Rafael Nadal.
That 2-6, 6-2, 6-0 victory a year ago ended Nadal's record 81-match winning streak on clay and gave Federer hope heading into the French Open - the only major the 12-time Grand Slam champion has not won.
Nadal would have the last laugh, however, as he bounced back at Roland Garros to beat Federer in the final and claim his third straight title at the major.
Federer and Nadal are again the top two seeds here and will be joined by fellow top-five players Novak Djokovic, Davydenko and David Ferrer.
Rounding out the top eight seeds are James Blake, Richard Gasquet and Berdych.
In other matches Sunday, Ivo Karlovic of Croatia and Frenchman Gilles Simon advanced.
Karlovic captured a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-3) victory over German Mischa Zverev, while Simon topped Xavier Malisse of Belgium, 6-4, 7-5.
First prize is $555,500.
