Richard Gasquet was dumped out of the Gerry Weber Open by lowly ranked Pakistani Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi 7-6(8) 6-4 to underline his current slump in form.

The number 5 seed arrived here in Halle low in confidence after his first round loss at the French Open, but no one could have predicted this result on what is supposed to be the Frenchman favourite surface.

Qureshi, who is ranked 304 and has earned just $11,937 so far this year, got the early break, but was broken back in the ninth game when he double faulted at break point down.

Gasquet started the tie-breaker confidently, rifling a forehand pass that shot past the lunging Pakistani like a bullet. He had a set point at 6-5 that was snuffed out by a service winner from the big serving Pakistani. An ace gave Qureshi his first set point, but Gasquet saved that on serve and with a forehand winner engineered a second set point at 8-7. Two consecutive service winners from Qureshi brought up set point number 2 which he converted with an acutely angled backhand volley winner which Gasquet at full stretch drove into the net off the backhand wing.

The 59 minute opening set proved to be pivotal because once Qureshi managed to break Gasquet in the seventh game of the second set with a forehand winner down the line, the Frenchman who gave an anguished look up at his coach was at a loss to turn the match around.

Qureshi fought off two consecutive break points in the next game with some masterful volleying, including a reflex backhand volley on the second break point that caught the sideline to Gasquet's dismay.

Serving for the match at 5-4, Qureshi achieved the biggest win of his 10 year career with two consecutive aces.

"This is not about winning my first round match, it is about beating a player ranked just outside the top 10", said the delighted Qureshi who will have a tough task in round two against German Phillipp Kohlschreiber.

"I learned a lot from some of my mistakes last year and I just kept telling myself that I could do it. I went out there with a clear plan of moving him around and it paid off."

A dejected Gasquet was at a loss to explain his unexpected defeat: "I don't really know what went wrong", he said. "He seemed much happier on grass having played the qualifiers at the weekend. He played really well and served really well. I got just one break point while he got several. I don't feel like I played badly, but I'm very disappointed to go out of the 1st round of course."

The Frenchman who is in the doubles with Olivier Rochus, another first round loser, will be hoping to find his true form in time for the defense of his Nottingham title next week as he attempts a hat-trick of wins.

Nikolay Davydenko got his second career grass court victory with a hard fought 7-6(6) 4-6 6-2 victory over Jurgen Melzer and will next face home favourite Florian Mayer in round two.

Andre Jones
Gerry Weber Stadium
Halle