Big serving Isner no match for Tipsarevic

VIENNA (AFP) - American John Isner began his European autumn indoor campaign in disappointing fashion here on Wednesday, with the eighth seeded eliminated 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in the opening round at the Austrian Tennis Trophy by Serb Janko Tipsarevic.

Isner, ranked 39th, found out for the third consecutive event that his big serve is not enough to see him through as he was knocked out in just over 90 minutes.

The two-time semi-finalist over the summer at home in Indianapolis and Washington, was left adrift after again losing a firt-round contest after the same fate in Shanghai and Tokyo.

The 24-year-old was held to a minimal - by his standards - 11 aces.

Tipsarevic showed no ill effects after losing the Kremlin Cup final at the weekend in Moscow against Russian Mikhail Youzhny.

The Serb said that his first live exposure to the two-metre-plus American came during the match warm-up.

"I'd seen him on TV but that was it," said the number 46. "I had no real idea how he would play.

"But it was exactly like other guys told me. You need to try and move him, since he hits the ball better from the spot rather than on the run.

"I think I won four points on his serve in the first set, but I had more chances in the second, including three break points on his second serve.

"I didn't take advantage, but I felt I had the better game today," said the winner, now 27-23 this season who concluded with a down-the-line winner to the empty court.

Slovak Dominik Hrbaty, close to retirement, advanced into the second round over Spain's Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3, 6-4.

In the second round, Germany's fourth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber advanced into the last eight as Romanian Victor Crivoi quit with a right shoulder injury to hand the German a 6-2, 3-0 win in 34 minutes.

Frenchman Gael Monfils, the third seed struggling to claim one of the last two places in next month's season-ending event in London, was playing his opening match later against Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain.