Stockholm: Chris Guccione will carry the flag as he aims to produce the first Australian match win at the Stockholm Open since 2000.

Ranked 88th in the ATP rankings Guccione is the lone Aussie at the Kungligahallen and the only current contender on the ATP with Lleyton Hewitt recovering from recent hip surgery and not due back until January.

In first-round play, Japanese wildcard Kei Nishikori upset Spanish eighth seed Marcel Granollers 2-6,6-4,6-2.

Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti returned nine years after his Stockholm quarter-final, spending nearly three hours in ovecoming Ivan Navarro of Spain 3-6,7-6 (9/7), 7-5.

It's been nearly a decade since Australians celebrated a match victory in the Swedish capital, Andrew'Ilie earning a first round win eight years ago.

Wayne Arthurs was the last from the nation to even front up in singles at the hall commissioned by a tennis-mad monarch at the start of the last century.

Arthurs went out in the first round in 2004, in the wake of an opening loss from Paul Baccanello a year earlier. Arthurs also lost in 2002 following the opening exit in 2001 from Mark Philippoussis, beaten by Sebastien Grosjean.

Guccione comes to Sweden for a first-round encounter with fifth-seeded Wimbledon semi-finalist Rainer Schuettler of Germany after a quarter-final showing last week at a Challenger in Mons, France.

The Australian hope lost both of his singles rubbers in last month's Davis Cup tie against Chile, but helped Australia to the doubles point.
Source : PTI