Safin survives first-round scare

Top seed Marat Safin survived a first-round scare before prevailing over his doubles partner Max Mirnyi 6-7, 7-6, 7-6 in the Kremlin Cup on Monday.

In a battle between two power hitters, Safin saved two match points in the 10th game of the final set.

Belarussian Mirnyi twice served for the match in the second and third sets but double faulted on crucial points to hand Safin a lifeline.

Having won the first tiebreaker 10-8, Mirnyi broke Safin in the opening game of the second set after the former world number one double faulted on break point.

With Mirnyi's serve in high gear, Safin looked in real danger as the tall Belarussian prepared to serve out the match leading 5-4 in the 10th game of the second set.

But the 73rd-ranked Mirnyi double faulted twice to let the 2000 U.S. Open champion back on serve to the delight of a large home crowd, including former Russian President Boris Yeltsin.

The situation repeated itself in the final set as Safin duly lost his first service game to give Mirnyi a 2-0 lead.

The Belarus number one again served for match at 5-3 but his seventh double fault let Safin off the hook for a second time.

TEMPER IN CHECK

The volatile Russian, who kept his temper in check for most of the 2-1/2-hour contest, faced two match points in the next game before saving both with powerful first serves.

Safin, trying to regain his old form this season after an injury-plagued 2003, finally prevailed 7-1 in the tiebreaker.

"It was very tough, he is a tough opponent who has lots of experience and is difficult to play against because he doesn't give you any rhythm," said the big Russian, who claimed his first title in almost two years at last month's China Open.

"I was a little more sure against Mirnyi in tiebreaks than I was against (Andy Roddick)," added Safin, who lost to the American in three tiebreak sets in the Bangkok semi-final last month.

"Against Mirnyi I just had to wait for the opportunity to break him while Roddick has a little bit different game as he can play from the baseline."

It was a sweet revenge for Safin after losing to Mirnyi in a Davis Cup match earlier this year as World Group newcomers Belarus shocked 2002 champions Russia 3-2 in a first round tie.

The two have also teamed up to play doubles in Moscow.

Second seed Joachim Johansson of Sweden had a much easier time against Jan Hernych, beating the unseeded Czech 6-4, 6-2.

However, Czech teenager Tomas Berdych, who clinched his first ATP title a week ago in Italy, became the first seeded casualty as the number six seed was bundled out by little-known Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-3, 6-4, who won his first career ATP match.