Houston: American Mardy Fish hammered 11 aces to beat unseeded German Rainer Schuettler 7-6 (7/4), 6-3, at the 436,000 dollar US Men's Clay Court Championship.

Fish, who won the tournament in 2006, also broke Schuettler twice in five chances to defeat the 31-year-old German for the third time in four career meetings yesterday.

The 26-year-old Fish has not won on the ATP Tour since capturing his second career championship at this event two years ago.

He won that tournament as the world No. 212, having missed most of the 2005 season due to wrist injuries.

Another former champion was not as fortunate as second-seeded German Tommy Haas fell to Russia's Igor Kunitsyn 5-7,6-4,6-4.

Hass, who won the title here in 2004, has not been able to get going since undergoing shoulder surgery in November.

Yesterday, Haas was done in by an erratic serve as he committed 12 double faults in the defeat. In other action, fifth-seeded Augustin Calleri of Argentina and seventh-seeded Marcel Granollers-Pujol posted victories in their first-round matches. Calleri defeated American veteran Vincent Spadea, 6-4,6-3,while Granollers-Pujol topped Latvian teenager Ernests Gulbis, 6-2, 6-0.

Argentine Sergio Roitman defeated American John Isner, 3-6,7-6 (8-6), 6-3,to snap a five-match skid.
Source : PTI