Second seed Lleyton Hewitt of Australia was upset 6-4 6-4 by American Paul Goldstein in the first round of the Los Angeles Open on Tuesday. Former champion Tommy Haas of Germany advanced with a 6-4 6-4 win over Australia's Wayne Arthurs in searing 114 degree Fahrenheit heat at the University of California Los Angeles courts.
Hewitt, who ended an 18-month title drought at last month's Stella Artois tournament and was playing his first event since Wimbledon, dropped serve four times against Goldstein, whom he beat in the Las Vegas semi-finals in March.
"I just struggled after a couple weeks off," the 2002 Wimbledon champion said. "He played solid. He's a guy you've got to go out and beat every time out."
Haas, who beat compatriot Nicolas Kiefer in the 2004 Los Angeles final, did not face a break point against the big-serving Arthurs and dropped only six points on his own serve.
The German, who claimed hardcourt titles in February at Delray Beach and Memphis, will meet Chile's Paul Capdeville in the next round. Double grand slam champion Marat Safin cashed in on poor serving by American Mardy Fish to win their first-round encounter 6-4 7-5. Chasing his first singles title since the Australian Open 18 months ago, the Russian converted three of nine break points to maintain the upper hand.
In other first-round matches, seventh-seeded Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty knocked out American Zack Fleishman 7-5 7-5, Swiss qualifier George Bastl beat Frenchman Nicolas Mahut 6-3 7-6 and German Lars Burgsmueller scraped past American lucky loser Michael Yani 6-4 3-6 6-3. Robby Ginepri beat Justin Gimelstob 6-4 6-4 in an all-American clash to complete the day's play.
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