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TORONTO: French ninth seed Richard Gasquet took early aim at a dream repeat of his 2006 final at the Toronto Masters, making the first step with a first round defeat of Michael Llodra 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 on Monday.
On a day when rain interrupted proceedings on the outskirts of the city, two more Europeans advanced.
Swiss ninth seed Stan Wawrinka beat Italian Simone Bolelli 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) while recovering Nicolas Kiefer, back after wrist problems over the last two seasons, stopped American Mardy Fish 7-5, 7-6 (7/4).
Gasquet lost to Roger Federer for the title in 2006 when the event was last played in Toronto, which alternates with Francophile Montreal each year.
"I'm happy to win this match but it's difficult to win against a friend," said Gasquet after handing Llodra his fifth defeat without a win in Canada.
"He was not a Spanish guy so it's OK for me to play three sets," said the 12th ranked Gasquet, who has slipped from the Top ten this season.
"Michael has a big serve and he tried to play one or two strokes to win the point. I tried to fight but I'm happy to have gotten through in the wind."
Wawrinka won his 31st match of the season a week after disappointment at his home event in Gstaad. The Swiss with two ATP finals in 2008 had never faced Bolelli from Bologna.
Kiefer first beat Fish in 2001 and made it 2-0 seven years after their only previous meeting. - AFP/de
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