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CHENNAI, INDIA - Fifth seed Ivan Dodig was a come-from-behind winner, while sixth seed Fabio Fognini was a first-round upset victim Monday at the 2012 season-opening Chennai Open tennis event.
The Croatian Dodig outlasted Indian wild card Vishnu Vardhan 4-6, 7-6 (10-8), 6-1 in 2 hours, 35 minutes, while Fognini was pasted by Israeli Dudi Sela 6-0, 6-1 in a mere 58 minutes on the hardcourts at SDAT Tennis Stadium.
Other Day 1 wins came for France's Benoit Paire and Indian wild card Yuki Bhambri.
This week's top seed is Serbian slugger Janko Tipsarevic, who enjoyed an opening-round bye and will face the little-known Bhambri in the round of 16.
Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka beat 2007 Chennai champion Xavier Malisse in last year's championship match here.
The 2012 Chennai champion will earn $71,900.