Fernando Verdasco Breaks Losing Streak

Fernando Verdasco has finally brought a four match losing streak to an end as he saw off Michael Russell in comfortable fashion 6-4 6-1 at the Valencia Open.

A run of bad results for the Spaniard had seen his place in the ATP World Tour Finals in trouble but he got his campaign for London back on track as he dropped just five games in his opening match.

And it was Verdasco who broke first in the opening set but he could not capitalise on the chance and allowed Russell to break back.

But a second break of serve secured the opening set for the Spaniard and he dominated the second. He broke three more times to secure a straight forward win.

Speaking at a news conference after the match Verdasco said: "I have been training in Madrid the past 2-1/2 weeks trying to recharge the batteries in every sense and I know I have to perform well these next two weeks to make it to London."

Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray and Robin Soderling have already qualified for the event at the O2 and there are three place still up for grabs.

Verdasco will now face Gilles Simon in the second round in Valencia as the Frenchman saw off Sergiy Stakhovsky in similarly comfortable fashion.

Simon, who has been plagued by injury on and off this season dropped just six games on his way to a 6-3 6-3 win over the Ukranian.

But it could have been even more straight forward for the former world number six as he only managed to convert on three of twelve break points.

Stanislas Wawrinka was also in action yesterday as he saw off the challenge from Andreas Seppi. But it was the Italian who got the early break and was 3-5 up before Wawrinka battled back to push the opening set to a tie break.

In the breaker the Swiss number two stepped on the gas and dropped just two points to take the opening set 7-6 (7-2).

Into the second and Seppi didn't give in as he held serve well, the first ten games were held to see the players locked together at 5-5.

But it was Wawrinka who found a way through as he broke in the eleventh game before serving out the match for a 7-6 (7-2) 7-5 win.

He will now face either Gael Monfils, who lifted the Sud de France title at the weekend, or Eduardo Schwank in the second round.

defending champion Andy Murray is currently on court in his first round match against Feliciano Lopez and he is a break up in the opening set.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw