modern sport

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US Open champion Marin Cilic admitted he had only
himself to blame after losing 6-4, 6-4 in an opening match at the
Barcelona Open on Wednesday to Victor Estrella Burgos.
The fourth seeded Croatian who reached a Monte Carlo quarter-final
last week, was stunned by his poor form against the Dominican, who is
making his Barcelona debut and ranks 53rd in the world.
"My game as far from the level that I wanted," said Cilic. "I'm upset
with myself and angry.
"I'm not happy at all with today, I had so many unforced errors. I
didn't handle the conditions well, it was heavy and tough to put the
ball away. It was all more in Victor's favour, he was doing a lot of
defending.
"I feel I'm in need of several more matches to get my feeling on
clay. I was expecting ups and down in my comeback."
Cilic was competing in only his third tournament after coming back
from an autumn shoulder injury.
He lost serve four times, with Estrella Burgos going without an ace
in his 79-minute upset.
Last year's runner-up Santiago Giraldo beat Joao Sousa of Portugal
6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to set up a repeat of the 2014 final he lost to Japan's
Kei Nishikori.
Spaniard Pablo Andujar beat Argentine 11th seed Leonardo Mayer with a
2-6, 6-1, 6-2 comeback.
Spanish seeds were taking to the court, with number two and
eight-time champion Rafael Nadal opening against Nicolas Almagro, the
man who beat him in the quarter-finals at the Real Club de Tenis a
year ago.
Four-time finalist David Ferrer, seeded third, was beginning his clay
week against fellow Spaniard Albert Montanes.