Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Chardy ousts Verdasco in Memphis

---

Associated Press

MEMPHIS -- Second-seed Fernando Verdasco was upset by Jeremy Chardy of France 7-6 (4), 6-3 on Tuesday in the first round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships/Cellular South Cup.

 

Verdasco was coming of a win at the ATP World Tour stop in San Jose, where he beat Andy Roddick in the final.

 

 

"With just one day in between matches and in different conditions and not being able to practice on the stadium court before the match, it was difficult," he said. "And it was difficult for me to get the timing. But he played a great match. He served really good."

 

Chardy, ranked 41st, had been winless in four matches this year before beating the 11th-ranked player in the world. Chardy did not face a break point in the match and he said his confidence was boosted by winning the first-set tiebreaker.

 

"It was difficult for him because he won last week and came here at the last second," Chardy said. "He couldn't practice on the courts. I knew it would be difficult for him so I started the match very aggressive."

 

Verdasco was plagued by multiple unforced errors.

 

Chardy relied on a solid service game. He won 88 percent of his first-serve points.

 

In a minor upset, No. 7 Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany fell to Evgeny Korolev, 7-5, 7-5. Korolev recorded his third win over a top 30 player this year behind a strong service game that included 10 aces.

 

Advancing easily was No. 5 Tomas Berdych, who beat qualifier Ryan Sweeting, 6-2, 6-1.

 

In the Cellular South Cup -- the women's portion of the tournament -- No. 2 seed Melanie Oudin defeated Alexa Glatch, 6-2, 6-2.

 

Karolina Sprem upset No. 4 seed Lucie Hradecka, 6-4, 6-4, and No. 8 seed Elena Baltacha beat Renata Voracova, 7-5, 6-1.

 

Nicole Vaidisova, a former top 10 player whose ranking has dropped to nearly 200 in the world, advanced with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over American Laura Granville.