Ljubicic upset by Falla at UNICEF Open

Ivan Ljubicic lost to Alejandro Falla 6-2, 7-6 in the opening round of the UNICEF Open 2010 tennis event.

Ljubicic had 12 aces but Falla showed a more consistent play. The Croat was broken three times while managing to convert just one of his eight break point opportunities.

Falla is through to his first ATP World Tour grass-court quarter-final and next faces Xavier Malisse.

Malisse reached the quarterfinals after beating Daniel Brands 4-6, 6-1, 7-5.

Benjamim Becker defeated Jarkko Nieminen6-4, 3-6, 6-4, while Janko Tipsarevic stopped Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4.

"The past two months has been the toughest time of my career," Tipsarevic said. "The day before my match at [the BNP Paribas Open in] Indian Wells I broke my ribs and I got sick in Rome [during the Internazionali BNL d’Italia]. I haven’t played many tournaments and went to Roland Garros with one day of practice.

"I need matches, I need to hear 'Game, set, match Tipsarevic' again and I am going to play a lot after Wimbledon in Davis Cup, at Atlanta, Los Angeles and Washington."



Source Reuters/ATP