Johansson ousts Ferrero

Juan Carlos Ferrero's struggle for form continued at the Marseille Open on Tuesday where the former world number stumbled in straight sets in the first round against Joachim Johansson.

The third-seeded Swede, winner in Adelaide last month, dismissed the Spaniard 7-6, 6-3.

After a 2004 season marred by health problems, Ferrero is not faring much better this year, having only won two matches since the season resumed.

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Currently ranked 63rd in the ATP entry rankings, the former French Open champion lost in the Australian Open third round to Argentina's Guillermo Coria, the top seed in Marseille.

"It was a tight match with a tie-break that could have gone either way. I'm glad I managed to impose my pace on a player who likes to dictate play," said Johansson, who is nearing his goal of a top 10 ranking, being 11th at present.

Far sharper than Ferrero, Johansson, who only narrowly lost to Andre Agassi in Melbourne, broke the Spaniard twice in the second set to set up a second round clash with French qualifier Gilles Simon.

Simon beat former Australian Open champion Thomas Johansson 6-4, 4-6, 6-2.