Sixth seed Sebastien Grosjean and No 7 Jurgen Melzer advanced to the second round of the US Clay Court Championships here Monday, while second-seeded Andre Agassi warmed up for singles action with a rare doubles appearance. France's Grosjean defeated Bjorn Phau of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while Austria's Melzer beat Argentina's Mariano Puerta 6-3, 6-3. Puerta was the only player in the field with a clay court title this season.
They were the only seeds in singles action on the opening day of the 380,000-dollar tournament in which Andy Roddick is the top seed.
Roddick will face a qualifier in his first-round match on Tuesday, while Agassi will play Czech Michal Tabara in his opener.
But fans got a glimpse of Agassi in action Monday as he teamed with his former rival, Jim Courier, in doubles.
The pair fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to Argentina's Martin Garcia and Peru's Luis Horna.
"It was a bumpy start from me, having not been out there for a few years, but I had a good partner with me all along and once I started holding up my deal we got into the meat of the match," Courier said.
Agassi added: "We grew up together, competed with each other. We've helped each other's career. We were Davis Cup team-mates. We've run the full spectrum. To get out here and team up at this stage in our lives is a great opportunity to have an excuse to spend a little time together."
Roddick, the top seed, won here in 2001 and 2002 and was the runner-up each of the past two years. Agassi claimed the crown in 2003 - 15 years after his first championship here.
German Tommy Haas, the defending champion, is seeded third and Chilean Nicolas Massu is number four.
Haas opens his title defence against Belgium's Kristof Vliegen, who is coming off a finals
APPEARANCE IN A CHALLENGER EVENT IN BERMUDA: In other matches on Monday, Spain's Alex Calatrava kept wild card Donald Young winless, dropping the 15-year-old American to 0-5 on the ATP Tour with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph, and Robby Ginepri defeated fellow American Mardy Fish 6-1, 6-4.
COLLATED RESULTS:
(FIRST ROUND): Jurgen Melzer (AUT x7) bt Mariano Puerta (ARG) 6-3, 6-3; Alex Calatrava (ESP) bt Donald Young (USA) 6-1, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (FRA x6) bt Bjorn Phau (GER) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5; Robby Ginepri (USA) bt Mardy Fish (USA) 6-1, 6-4.
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