(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)

Båstad, Sweden—2009 Catella Swedish Open

Unseeded Argentine Juan Monaco provided the biggest upset of the day during continued first round action in Sweden today, with a 7-6 (7-4), 3-6, 6-1 victory over eighth seeded Maximo Gonzalez.

Monaco showed a lot of heart throughout the encounter, having to deal with the disappointment of losing both of his weekend Davis Cup matches. However the clay is back, and certainly many smiles of joy will resonate through Monaco's monster forehand. 

After winning a tight first set, Gonzalez fought back to square the contest at one set a piece. With the third set in bounds, Monaco elevated his game and his intensity to capture another win on the dirt.

Clay-court stats were written all over this encounter, with both players residing in the low to mid 60s on their first-serve points won. There were also 11 break point conversions in total; six for Monaco and five for Gonzalez.

The win with take the "Principality" to the round of 16, were he will meet Victor Crivoi who defeated Denis Istomin 6-0, 6-4 on Monday.

Elsewhere, a busy day in Bastad saw the following matches completed:

Kristof Vliegen defeated one of the very few uncomfortable Spaniards on clay, Marcel Granollers 7-6(7-3) 6-4;

Guillermo Canas halted the hopes of potential future star Girgor Dimitrov 6-3 7-6 (7-2);

Daniel "hothead" Kollerer took out Steve Darcis 1-6, 6-3, 6-4;

Kollerer will face top seed Fernando Verdasco on Thursday;

Potito Starace squeezed past Julien Benneteau 7-6 (7-5) 6-3;

Peter Luczak brushed aside Alberto Martin 6-2, 6-2;

and Bjorn Phau whipped past Daniel Berta 6-3, 6-2.

Wednesday action in Bastad will feature top seed Nicolas Almagro vs. Marat Safin; Tommy Robredo vs. Peter Luczak; and Robin Soderling appearing on clay for the first time since making the finals of French Open. The Sod will take on Kristof Vliegen.

Stuttgart, Germany—Mercedes Cup

Tomas Berdych was another player who experienced the tribulations of Davis Cup hangover today, with a meek and fatigued performance. The powerful Czech came into Stuttgart after helping his DC squad dispatch Argentina over the weekend.

Never one to hold the mental fortitude card in high esteem, Berdych appeared sluggish throughout the encounter against home-country hopeful Nicolas Kiefer, falling without a fight 6-3, 6-3.

Kiefer was in total control from the onset of the match, breaking Berdych's serve on four occasions and winning 76 percent of his first-serve points.

The German is exactly the type of player the big boys do not want to face when they are fatigued. Kiefer is feisty, can get under your skin, and is solid from every facet in the game.

Kiefer is also the defending Roger's Cup finalist, and will have a ton of points to defend come the Masters 1000 event in about a months time. Nicolas better rack up as many wins as possible in the next little while, with a repeat to the finals in Montreal unlikely.

For now, Kiefer lives to fight another day and will take on Simon Greul who was a 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-5) winner over Andreas Beck.

The good day for the German's remained perfect with Phillipp Kohlschreiber continuing his fine form of late with a comprehensive win over Diego Junqueira 6-3, 6-2.

Kohlschreiber put forth a world-beater effort over the weekend in Marbella, defeating both Fernando Verdasco and Tommy Robredo. Kohlschreiber is an elite ball-stiker, and if he continues his recent tear watch out.

Other German's who were winners on Day Two included: Rainer Schuettler over Ivo Minor 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; and Mischa Zverev over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 6-2, 6-4.

All in all, six of the nine German's who started the event remain alive in round two.

Frenchmen Fabrice Santoro became an upset casualty on Day Two, falling at the hands of Italian Fabio Fognini 5-7, 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. Santoro was coming into the Germany from a semi-final showing in Newport last week.

Jeremy Chardy upset eighth seed Jose Acasuso 6-2, 7-6 (7-4); Alexandre Sidorenko brushed aside Daniel Munoz-De La Nave (longest name on tour?), 7-6 (7-3), 1-6, 6-2; and Oscar Hernandez bounced Janko Tipsarevic 6-4, 6-4.

Last but not least, top seed Gilles Simon began his Stuttgart campaign in style with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Phillipp Petzschner. Petzschner is a talented German player, with ample power to spare. Gilles was on his game today, winning 73 percent of his first-serve points, hitting six aces and breaking his opponents serve on four occasions.

Simon moved onto round two after 1:14 minutes and will next face Mischa Zverev of Germany.

Wednesday's order of play will be highlighted by Mikhail Youzhny vs. Paul-Henri Mathieu, and Rainer Schuettler vs. Victor Hanescu.

Please check back, as I will have continuing daily coverage from Bastad, Sweden and Stuttgart, Germany. Cheers.

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