updated 10:40 p.m. ET March 1, 2004

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates - Seeded players Mark Philippoussis, Tim Henman and Rainer Schuettler all were eliminated in the first round of the Dubai Open on Monday.

No. 5-seeded Philippoussis, last year’s Wimbledon runner-up, lost to Olivier Rochus 6-2, 7-6 (8), No. 6 Henman was beaten by Tomas Zib 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (4), and No. 3 Schuettler was knocked off by Philipp Kohlschreiber 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.

It was Schuettler’s fourth first-round exit this season.

In other action, Gregory Carraz beat Omar Bahrouzyan 6-0, 6-0, Ivan Ljubicic topped Massimo Dell’Acqua 6-3, 3-6, 6-4, and Andrei Pavel got past Bohdan Ulihrach 6-1, 2-6, 7-5.

Kiefer advances in Scottsdale
No. 7 Nicolas Kiefer, the only seeded player in action at the Franklin Templeton Tennis Classic in Scottsdale, Ariz., beat Brian Vahaly 6-3, 6-3 to advance to the second round.

The 26-year-old German is seeded seventh here and ranked 46th after reaching his first ATP final on U.S. soil last week in Memphis. He broke Vahaly once in the first set and twice in the second, ending the match in 1 hour, 14 minutes.

“It looked like it, but it wasn’t easy,” Kiefer said. “There was sun, a lot of wind. The last two weeks I played indoors.”

Jan-Michael Gambill, the 1999 Scottsdale champion, beat 17-year-old Brendan Evans 6-1, 6-4 in the featured night match.

Earlier, Lars Burgsmuller of Germany was extended by lucky loser Alex Kim before pulling out a 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 victory. Kim didn’t get into the 32-man field until fifth-seeded Taylor Dent withdrew because of a stomach illness.

Russian Dmitry Tursunov defeated Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-3, 6-4 and Wesley Woodie of South Africa beat France’s Antony Dupuis 6-7 (6), 6-2, 6-2 and Igor Andreev of Russia ousted Croat Mario Ancic 4-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4.

Evans, who was making his ATP main draw debut, couldn’t hold service until the sixth game of the first set, but started well in the second set.

The wild card got to 2-1 by taking the last three points of the third game on two service winners and an ace.

But Gambill won five of the next seven games.

U.S. Open champion Andy Roddick, the world No. 1 at the end of last year, will debut in Scottsdale on Tuesday, facing Dutchman John Van Lottum. Second-seeded Martin Verkerk of The Netherlands also will play in the event for the first time Tuesday against Swiss player Yves Allegro.

Testud upset Serna at Qatar
Wild-card entry Sandrine Testud knocked off eighth-seeded Magui Serna 6-3, 6-2 Monday in the first round of the Qatar Open.

It was Testud’s first tour victory since giving birth to a daughter in February 2003.

In the only other singles match of the tournament’s opening day, Jelena Kostanic advanced when Petra Mandula withdrew because of a right thigh injury.

Chela advances at Mexican Open
Seventh-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina cruised past Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-3, 6-4 Monday in the opening round of the Mexican Open.

In other men’s matches at the $822,000 tournament, Richard Gasquet of France won 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 over Christophe Roche of Belgium, and Stefan Koubek of Austria struggled to a 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory over Harel Levy of Israel.

On the women’s side, fifth-seeded Marion Bartoli of France ousted Rita Grande of Italy 6-3, 6-1. Also, Mashona Washington of the United States defeated German Julia Schruff 6-0, 6-2, and Italian Flavia Pennetta beat Samantha Reeves 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

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Venus pulls out of Wimbledon

After 16 consecutive years of always showing up at Wimbledon, winning five titles along the way, Venus Williams pulled out of the grass-court Grand Slam tournament Tuesday, citing a lower back injury.

Headlines

• Label

Wozniacki, Tomic advance at Eastbourne

American Steve Johnson gets Wimbledon wild card

Federer wins 1st title of year, beats Youzhny

Murray recovers from slip to win Queen's title

Top-seeded Radwanska loses to US qualifier Hampton

Murray, defending champ Cilic in Queen's Cup final

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Headlines

• Label

Wozniacki, Tomic advance at Eastbourne

American Steve Johnson gets Wimbledon wild card

Federer wins 1st title of year, beats Youzhny

Murray recovers from slip to win Queen's title

Top-seeded Radwanska loses to US qualifier Hampton

Murray, defending champ Cilic in Queen's Cup final

Halep beats Petkovic for 1st career title

Federer records second 'double bagel' of career