Rotterdam: Muller into 2nd round, Gasquet withdraws

Giles Muller plays a backhand return. (Tim Ireland/AP)

ROTTERDAM, Netherlands — Gilles Muller set up a second-round match with former U.S. Open champion Marin Cilic at the World Tennis Tournament after coming from a set down to beat Andreas Seppi Tuesday.

Muller, the world No. 40, hit 19 aces on his way to a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Seppi, his first win over the Italian in four meetings.

Top-seeded Richard Gasquet – winner in Montpellier last week – withdrew from the indoor event because of illness and a groin injury.

Fourth-seeded David Goffin was upset 6-1, 5-7, 7-6 (5) by Marcos Baghdatis, who came back from a 5-2 deficit in the tie-break and won a 41-shot rally on match point.

"It was an amazing point. I was just defending, slicing three meters behind the baseline," Baghdatis said. "I kept putting the ball back and making him do something and eventually he made a mistake."

Philipp Kohlschreiber advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 2013 runner-up Julien Benneteau to extend his unbeaten record against the Frenchman to six matches.

Next up for Kohlschreiber is qualifier Ivan Dodig.

Also progressing were Gael Monfils and 19-year-old Hyeon Chung, who defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.

The fifth-seeded Monfils got the better of Latvian qualifier Ernests Gulbis, advancing with a 6-4, 6-4 win.

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