MASON - August 15, 2006 - Second seed Rafael Nadal pulled out a tough 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-3 win in just over two hours against American wild card Sam Querrey at the Western & Southern Financial Group Masters. The win marks Nadal’s first victory in Cincinnati, having lost last year to Czech Tomas Berdych and falling to Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina in 2004.

Nadal won 80 percent of his first service points and never faced a break point against the 6’6” Querrey. The Spaniard is now 19-3 in ATP Masters Series events this year and next plays qualifier Hyung-Taik Lee.

For the second week in a row, Andy Murray took down his childhood hero and compatriot Tim Henman. With Tuesday’s 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Henman, Murray advances to the second round where he will face top seed and World No.1 Roger Federer.

Murray has now won 18 of his last 23 matches and has reached a career-high ranking at No.21. The British No.1 advanced to the semifinals at the ATP Masters Series event last week in Toronto (l. to Gasquet) and was a finalist two weeks ago in Washington (l. to Clement). Murray claimed his 30th match win of the season and picked up his second win in Cincinnati, having defeated Taylor Dent here last year.

“My serve was good today,” said Murray. “My passing shots at times weren't so good, but when I needed them in the third set, they were pretty solid. I hit one really good one in the last game at 15﷓-30.”

Henman was making his 11th straight appearance in Cincinnati with his best result coming in 2000 when he reached the final (l. to Enqvist). Henman posts a 16-11 career record here.

Ivan Ljubicic needed only an hour to dismiss close friend Greg Rusedski 6-3, 6-4. The fourth seeded Ljubicic fired six aces and won 94 percent of his first service points. Ljubicic next faces Mikhail Youzhny.

“I think I served really well, and I was not here risking too much,” said Ljubicic. “I think I had extremely high percentage of first serve. The balls were bouncing really high. These conditions are pretty fast.”

Tommy Haas, the No.14 seed, defeated Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-3, 6-4 in his opening round match. Haas won 89 percent of his first service points and saved all four break points he faced. A quarterfinalist here in 2004, Haas moves on to play Frenchman Gilles Simon, a 6-4, 6-4 winner over lucky loser Lukas Dlouhy. Dlouhy replaced three-time champion Andre Agassi in the draw when Agassi withdrew due to back pain.

France’s rising star Gael Monfils advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 7-5 win over two-time Cincinnati quarterfinalist Marat Safin, and Max Mirnyi blasted nine aces to edge Xavier Malisse 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

The 11,909 spectators on hand for Tuesday's day session set a single-session tournament record.