Johansson crashes out in Stockholm

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:05

The 33-year-old suffered a 6-3 3-6 6-3 loss to seventh-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain.

Johansson has dropped to 87th in the world rankings and fell to 15-22 this season with Wednesday’s defeat.

Number three seed Jarkko Nieminen of Finland survived a scare before advancing with a 6-7 (5/7) 6-3 7-5 first-round win over Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci.

The 27-year-old Nieminen, who reached the final here in 2001 and 2006, fired 11 aces and recorded four breaks in the two-hour 20-minute match.

Fourth seed Robin Soderling of Sweden had a much easier time, dispatching Benjamin Becker of Germany 7-5 6-3.

Fifth-seeded Rainer Schuettler became the first player to reach the quarter-finals after registering four breaks in a 7-6 (7/3) 6-3 win over Ecuador’s Nicolas Lapenti.

Schuettler was joined in the round of eight by Spain’s Oscar Hernandez, who upset sixth-seeded Jose Acasuso of Argentina, 2-6 6-3 6-4.

In other first-round matches on Wednesday, Switzerland’s George Bastl outlasted Denmark’s Frederik Nielsen 7-6 (8/6) 3-6 7-6 (7/4) and Frenchman Arnaud Clement drubbed Swedish qualifier Bjorn Rehnquist 6-2 6-1.

Defending champion Tommy Robredo is not entered in the event.

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