Second seed Gilles Simon cruised into the second round of the Brisbane International with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Ryan Sweeting.
Frenchman has high hopes for new season
Second seed Gilles Simon cruised into the second round of the Brisbane International with a 6-3 6-4 victory over Ryan Sweeting.
The world number 12 dropped his first service game but broke the big-serving American three times thereafter to move through in an hour and 22 minutes.
"For the first match of the season I think I played some good tennis," said the Frenchman.
"The conditions were very hard, with the sun very low and a little bit of noise also, so it was hard to focus.
"But I felt better and better throughout the match and had no problems until I was down a break point at the very end."
Simon said he was looking to establish himself amongst the top players in the world this year.
"I really want to win a Masters series tournament or a Slam this year," he added.
"Two years ago I was six in the world but I want to improve on that and to do that I have to beat the top guys and win one of the major tournaments.
"That is my aim for this year."
Comeback
Earlier, rising Australian star Bernard Tomic showed how far he has progressed in the last 12 months when he beat experienced Frenchman Julien Benneteau in three sets.
Tomic needed a wildcard to make the Brisbane tournament in 2011 but he has risen so quickly in the world rankings that he is seeded eighth this week.
He started brilliantly against Benneteau, racing to a 5-0 lead in the first set before the Frenchman began a stirring comeback, winning the second and pushing the 19-year-old right to the wire in the third, only to hand the Australian the match with a double fault, Tomic winning 6-2 4-6 7-5.
Fourth seed Florian Mayer of Germany bowed out after he withdrew with a groin injury against Ukraine's Denis Istomin while trailing 6-7 3-2, while Luxembourg's Gilles Muller downed Ricardo Mello of Brazil 6-7 7-6 6-3.
Top seed Andy Murray gets his campaign under way on Tuesday against Mikhail Kukushkin.
