Home hopes falter at the Nice Open

FRANCE suffered a dreadful first day in the Nice Open as four home players, including four-time ATP Tour winner Arnaud Clement, crashed out.

World No 76 Clement, whose ranking peaked at No 10 in 2001, was beaten in straight sets 6-3, 6-4 by Germany's Simon Greul and fellow wildcard Gianni Mina also suffered a straight-sets loss, going down 7-5, 6-4 to eighth-seeded Pole Lukasz Kubot.

Belgium's Olivier Rochus hammered Adrian Mannarino 6-3, 6-1, while Argentina's Leonardo Mayer came from a set down to beat David Guez 1-6, 6-1, 6-3. Potito Starace saw off Belgian Steve Darcis 6-3 6-1 but fellow Italian Fabio Fognini crashed out 7-5 6-2 to Switzerland's Marco Chiudinelli.

Meanwhile, Maria Sharapova did not have it all her own way but eventually made it through to the second round in Strasbourg. The top-seeded Sharapova ousted fellow Russian Regina Kulikova 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 on the opening day of the clay-court event.