SPORTS> Tennis
Federer no show, but Guccione a rare sight
(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-10-08 10:02

STOCKHOLM: Chris Guccione will carry the flag as he aims to produce the first Australian match win at the Stockholm Open since 2000.

Australia's Chris Guccione hits a shot on his way to winning his semi-final against Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic at the Sydney International tennis tournament January 11, 2008.  [Agencies]

Ranked 88th in the ATP rankings Guccione is the lone Aussie at the Kungligahallen and the only current contender on the ATP with Lleyton Hewitt recovering from recent hip surgery and not due back until January.

In first-round play, Japanese wildcard Kei Nishikori upset Spanish eighth seed Marcel Granollers 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti returned nine years after his Stockholm quarterfinal, spending nearly three hours in ovecoming Ivan Navarro of Spain 3-6, 7-6 (9/7), 7-5.

It's been nearly a decade since Australians celebrated a match victory in the Swedish capital, Andrew Ilie earning a first round win eight years ago.

Wayne Arthurs was the last from the nation to even front up in singles at the hall commissioned by a tennis-mad monarch at the start of the last century.

Arthurs went out in the first round in 2004, in the wake of an opening loss from Paul Baccanello a year earlier. Arthurs also lost in 2002 following the opening exit in 2001 from Mark Philippoussis, beaten by Sebastien Grosjean.

Guccione comes to Sweden for a first-round encounter with fifth-seeded Wimbledon semifinalist Rainer Schuettler of Germany after a quarterfinal showing last week at a Challenger in Mons, France.

The Australian hope lost both of his singles rubbers in last month's Davis Cup tie against Chile, but helped Australia to the doubles point.

The Stockholm event suffered a blow last week when drawcard Roger Federer re-wrote his autumn schedule and pulled out of the event.

Federer is now in Dubai working on his fitness with Davis Cup coach Severin Luethi and resting to make sure he's erased all traces of the glandular fever which compromised his early season.

The US Open champion says he will decide week-by-week when and if to return this season and could conceivably miss both remaining Masters Series dates in Madrid next week and Paris two weeks later.

Argentine David Nalbandian is making his Stockholm debut as top seed opening against American Bobby Reynolds, while Mario Ancic is second.

Ancic of Croatia, a quarterfinalist last year, starts against Olivier Rochus of Belgium.

Finnish third seed Jarkko Nieminen would love to go one step past his two quarter-final showings, beginning with a first-round match against Tomas Bellucci of Brazil.

"This is like my home tournament," said the number 33. "I've had two finals but I'd really like to win it for a change."