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.

French fourth seed Gilles Simon 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.

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.

World number one Rafael Nadal was beginning his campaign against Italian Simone Bolelli while 177th-ranked Dutch wild card Jesse Huta Galung was the first challenge this week for new Johannesburg champion Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

Defending champion Michael Llodra 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.

The 2007 champion Mikhail Youzhny got 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)