Verdasco, Chardy fall in Bastad
The Swedish Open waved farewell to fifth and seventh seeds Fernando Verdasco and Jeremy Chardy in the first round on Tuesday.
Fernando Verdasco and Jeremy Chardy were both sent crashing out of the first round at the Swedish Open.
Spaniard Verdasco - seeded fifth - was runner-up at the clay-court event in Bastad in 2013, but was unable to find a way past compatriot Nicolas Almagro in a 6-4 1-6 7-5 defeat.
Almagro - himself a finalist twice at the competition - broke in the first game of the match. Verdasco hit back in game four, but his opponent immediately regained the advantage before the rest of the set went with serve.
It appeared as though Verdasco had turned the match on its head by winning the second set in just half an hour, but in a tight decider Almagro broke in the last game of the contest with his third match point.
Seventh seed Chardy also came up short against French compatriot Paul-Henri Mathieu.
Chardy had won the last two contests between the pair, but the qualifier won through 7-5 6-3 to set up a meeting with Ernests Gulbis, who routed Marsel Ilhan 6-2 6-0.
Thomaz Bellucci had little trouble in a 6-4 6-2 victory over wildcard Elias Emer, but Alexander Zverev survived a scare to come from behind and see off fellow German Julian Reister 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-3.
Eighth seed Jerzy Janowicz defeated Andrea Arnaboldi 6-4 7-5. Steve Darcis lies in wait following his 6-4 6-3 win against Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
Rounding of the action, Albert Ramos overcame Luca Vanni 6-4 6-4.