Kohlschreiber rolls in Montpellier opener

2:44 PM, Jan 31, 2012   |    comments
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Montpellier, France (Sports Network) - Seventh seed Philipp Kohlschreiber was an easy first-round winner Tuesday at the Open Sud de France tennis tournament.

The German Kohlschreiber handled scrappy Belgian Olivier Rochus 6-1, 6-4 on the indoor hardcourts at The Arena.

Another seeded victor was No. 8 Finn Jarkko Nieminen, who held off French qualifier Maxime Teixeira 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 on Day 2.

Three unseeded Frenchmen moved on -- wild card Paul-Henri Mathieu, Nicolas Mahut and Edouard Roger-Vasselin -- as did American Michael Russell, who topped France's Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 7-5. Russell will face another Frenchman, third-seeded Gael Monfils, in the round of 16 here.

This week's top seeds are Czech Tomas Berdych and French stars Gilles Simon, Monfils and Richard Gasquet, all of whom received opening-round byes. Monfils titled here two years ago.

The winner of this $518,000 tournament will collect $95,000.

The Sports Network