Benneteau scrapes through against compatriot Monfils

INDIAN WELLS, California, Mar 10 (Reuters) Frenchman Julien Benneteau survived two match points before coming back to beat compatriot Gael Monfils 3-6 6-3 7-5 in the first round of the men's event at the Pacific Life Open today.

Trailing 5-2 in the third set, the 25-year-old from Bourg-en-Bresse responded by winning the next five games to seal victory in just over two hours at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

Benneteau next meets 27th seed Jurgen Melzer of Austria in the opening Masters Series event of the year.

All the seeded players get byes into the second round of the hardcourt tournament where world number one Roger Federer is seeking his eighth consecutive ATP title.

The Swiss maestro won his 10th grand slam title at the Australian Open in January before crushing Russian Mikhail Youzhny 6-4 6-3 in Saturday's Dubai Open final.

In other early first-round matches yesterday, Argentina's Juan Martin Del Potro beat former world number one Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil 7-6 6-2 and Germany's Florian Mayer brushed aside Russian Igor Kunitsyn 6-1 6-2.

Frenchman Paul-Henri Mathieu knocked out Spaniard Alberto Martin 6-4 6-1 and Argentine Jose Acasuso overcame Sebastien Grosjean of France 6-4 6-4.

Reuters DKS VP0655