Rotterdam, Netherlands  - The only Germans in the field at the ABN-AMRO World Tennis crashed out in straight sets on Wednesday with Philipp Kohlschreiber and Rainer Schuettler making first-round exits.

But it was a different story for a French quartet, all of whom advanced with relative ease.

Fourth seed Gilles Simon led the way as he accounted for the 38th-ranked Kohlschreiber 7-5, 7-6 (7-1) two years after the German reached the quarter-finals at the Ahoy centre.

"I had a terrible practise on Sunday here with Richard (Gasquet)," said the world number eight from Nice. "That's why I asked to start only on Wednesday.

"I've not been able to train a lot and had no idea about how it would go."

Croatian Mario Ancic, losing finalist at the weekend at home in Zagreb, was too much for Schuettler, with the veteran exiting 7-5, 6-2.

But the success story continued for France as seventh seed and last week's Johannesburg champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga made a winning debut at the event, beating Dutch number 177 wild card France Jesse Huta Galung 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4).

2008 Australian Open finalist Tsonga fired 15 aces in his win.

Defending champion Michael Llodra of France dulled the serving prowess of Ivo Karlovic, winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in their first-round encounter as the Croatian fired 25 aces.

Frenchman Marc Gicquel secured the day's fourth Gallic victory over Russian Evgeny Korolev 3-6, 6-3, 6-2.

World number one Rafael Nadal was beginning his campaign against Italian Simone Bolelli.

The 2007 champion Mikhail Youzhny earned the first quarter-final berth in an upset of Spanish sixth seed David Ferrer, 6-2, 3-6, 6-2.

The 26-year-old Russian Youzhny is riding his lowest ranking in seven years on 62nd, the result of last year's Australian Open quarter-finalist points dropping from the computer after he lost in the Melbourne first round three weeks ago.

"I'm pleased with this win, but I need to regain my consistency. I was down 5-0 in the second set in about ten minutes. I had a chance to break back but I couldn't.

"But if I keep playing like this I hope I can make a comeback," said Youzhny, who next faces the winner from Simon and Ancic. (dpa)