Britain's Greg Rusedski, enjoying his healthiest run since 2002, beat Australian qualifier Nathan Healey 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 here on Wednesday in the second round of the 600,000-dollar ATP Washington Classic.
Rusedski, a left-hander who turns 32 next month, withstood 12 aces from the 243rd-rated Aussie and fired nine of his own to win in 81 minutes and book a third-round date Thursday with Croatia's Ivo Karlovic.
Foot, knee and back injuries slowed Rusedski in the past two years as did off-court struggles before being cleared of doping. Seven of his first 12 2005 losses were to top-10 foes, two to Swiss world number one Roger Federer.
But Rusedski defended a crown on grass at Newport last month and reached the Indianapolis semi-finals two weeks ago.
American James Blake, coming back from an illness last year that hampered his hearing and vision and caused temporary paralysis, continued his comeback by bouncing Czech fourth seed Radek Stepanek 6-4, 2-6, 6-4.
Blake has fallen from 22nd in 2003 to 101st in the rankings in the past two years, but he blasted 11 aces in sweltering heat that surpassed 42 degrees Celsius to reach a third-round match with Czech foe Tomas Zib.
Peru's Luis Horna outlasted Slovakian fifth seed Dominik Hrbaty 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4) to leave US top seed Andy Roddick as the only one of the top seven seeds among the final 16 at the US Open hardcourt tune-up.
Argentina's Juan Ignacio Chela beat US wild card Brian Baker 6-3, 6-3 to book a third-round date Thursday with Roddick.
His highest-rated remaining rival is French eighth seed Sebastien Grosjean, who defeated German Alexander Popp 6-2, 6-3. Grosjean's third-round foe Thursday will be either Australian Wayne Arthurs or Czech Tomas Berdych.
British lucky loser Richard Bloomfield, a 22-year-old Englishman in his first ATP match, fired 13 aces and saved three match points before losing to France's 117th-ranked Arnaud Clement 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7).
Bloomfield, who made the main draw when German sixth seed Nicolas Massu withdrew, double faulted to give Clement a 6-4 tie-breaker lead but rallied with an ace and forehand winner. A service winner saved Clement's third closing chance but Bloomfield netted a forehand on the fourth to fall.
COLLATED RESULTS (x denotes seed):
(SECOND ROUND): Arnaud Clement (FRA) bt Richard Bloomfield (GBR) 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7); Bobby Reynolds (USA) bt Ricardo Mello (BRA) 6-3, 3-6, 7-5; Gilles Muller (LUX) bt Nicolas Massu (CHI) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4; Robby Ginepri (USA) bt Karol Beck (SVK) 6-3, 6-4; Sebastien Grosjean (FRA 0x8) bt Alexander Popp (GER) 6-2, 6-3; Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG) bt Brian Baker (USA) 6-3, 6-3; James Blake (USA) bt Radek Stepanek (CZE x4) 6-4, 2-6, 6-4; Greg Rusedski (GBR) bt Nathan Healey (AUS) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2; Luis Horna (PER) bt Dominik Hrbaty (SVK x5) 6-4, 6-7 (2/7), 7-6 (7/4); Paradorn Srichaphan (THA) bt Paul Goldstein (USA) 6-4, 3-6, 7-5; Tomas Berdych (CZE) bt Wayne Arthurs (AUS) 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
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