ATP Valencia - Ferrer advances but Tsonga, Tiparevic pull out due to injury

World no. 5 David Ferrer won his first round match at the ATP Valencia Open, beating Belgian qualifier Olivier Rochus 7-5, 7-5 to move into the second round.

Ferrer is the top seed in this event and has won this title twice in the past. His two hour 4 minute win over Rochus was his sixth win in as many meetings over Rochus.

Ferrer has already qualified for the ATP World Tour Finals in London next month.

Meanwhile in other matches, American Sam Querrey beat Spain's Feliciano Lopez 6-3, 7-6(4); Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov beat Filippo Volandri 6-3, 7-6(5); Austrian Jurgen Melzer beat Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 6-3, 6-3.

Meanwhile, two contendors for the last two spots in the ATP World Tour Finals in London did not fare well and were forced to retire in their matches.

Second seed Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was forced to retire with lower back pain while he was down 1-3 in the first set against Belgian veteran Xavier Malisse, while Serbian Janko Tipsarevic was forced to retire with a right shoulder injury while trailing Gilles Simon 5-4 in the first set of their match.