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Rome - Coming off a win over Rafael Nadal in Madrid last week, Fernando Verdasco eased into the second round of the Italian Open on Monday when Alexandr Dolgopolov retired with a stomach ache.
After the 16th-ranked Verdasco won the first set 6-0, Dolgopolov called for the trainer then clutched his stomach as he went over to shake Verdasco's hand and concede.
Also on a clear but windy day at the Foro Italico, 13th-seeded Gael Monfils beat Alex Bogomolov Jr of Russia 6-4, 6-1.
In women's action, Anabel Medina Garrigues of Spain defeated Zheng Jie of China 6-2, 6-1; and Chanelle Scheepers of South Africa eliminated Jarmila Gajdosova of Australia, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
This tournament is the last major clay court warm-up for the French Open, which starts in two weeks.
Results on Monday from the Italian Open on red clay at the Foro Italico (seedings in parentheses):
Men
First Round
Gael Monfils (13), France, def. Alex Bogomolov Jr., Russia, 6-4, 6-1.
Fernando Verdasco, Spain, def. Alexandr Dolgopolov, Ukraine, 6-0, retired.
Bernard Tomic, Australia, def. Santiago Giraldo, Colombia, 4-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Women
First Round
Anabel Medina Garrigues, Spain, def. Zheng Jie, China, 6-2, 6-1.
Chanelle Scheepers, South Africa, def. Jarmila Gajdosova, Australia, 6-4, 7-6 (7/3).
Vania King, United States, def. Tsvetana Pironkova, Bulgaria, 6-0, 6-1.
Christina McHale, United States, def. Monica Niculescu, Romania, 6-4, 6-4.
Iveta Benesova, Czech Republic, def. Yanina Wickmayer, Belgium, 6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7/5).
Ana Ivanovic (13), Serbia, def. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Russia, 6-4, 6-3.
Julia Goerges, Germany, def. Aleksandra Wozniak, Canada, 6-1, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3.
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Russia, def. Ksenia Pervak, Kazakhstan, 6-2, 6-4.
Shahar Peer, Israel, def. Peng Shuai, China, 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 3-1, retired.
