Fourth-seeded German Rainer Schuettler is among Monday's first-round winners at the inaugural China Open.

The world No. 12 Schuettler shut down Aussie Paul Baccanello 6-4, 6-3 on the hard courts at the Beijing Tennis Administration Center.

Schuettler, who entered 2004 at No. 6 in the world, is a disappointing 24-25 this year and went 2-4 at the Grand Slams, including three opening-round setbacks.

In other first-round play, Chinese Taipei's Lu Yen-Hsun has levelled Chinese wild card Zhu Benqiang 7-5, 6-2 and Finn Jarkko Nieminen handled Spaniard Guillermo Garcia- Lopez 7-5, 6-4.

The winner of this US$500,000 event will pocket US$69,200. The top seeds are Spaniards Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrero, Argentine David Nalbandian, Schuettler and Russian Marat Safin.

(CRI September 14, 2004)