Top seed Andy Roddick recorded his 300th career victory on Tuesday with a 7-5, 6-3 win over French wildcard Thierry Ascione in the first round of the Lyon Grand Prix.
American Roddick, who had not won a tour match since the middle of August, improved after a sluggish start to advance to the second round of the indoor event.
Second seed Mariano Puerta left the tournament early, losing 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 to Belgian Olivier Rochus.
Rochus recovered after losing the first set to win a tight battle against the Argentine who has struggled after reports this month that he has failed a drugs test.
Puerta has denied a report in the French newspaper L'Equipe that he tested positive for a banned substance during his runup to this year's French Open final.
The Argentine said he had taken anti-inflammatory tablets for a sore leg after his French Open semi-final win over Russia's Nikolay Davydenko.
"I didn't know he could play that well indoors," Rochus said. "It's a great victory. I served 16 aces. I'd never done that before".
Another seed bowed out on Tuesday when French qualifier Marc Gicquel knocked out sixth-seeded Spaniard David Ferrer 6-4, 6-0.
"I'd never played a player ranked that high before but I didn't panic and everything just clicked", said the 28-year-old Gicquel.
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