It was a bad day at the office for the top seeded Russians Nikolay Davydenko and Mikhail Youzhny, seeded 1 and 2 respectively as they crashed out of the Swiss Open in another depressingly rain sodden day here in Gstaad.

Gael Monfils had the chance to finish off the rain delayed match against Davydenko last night, but failed to close out the match which was suspended at 5-5 in the final set. Today he made no mistake. Having broken serve for 6-5, he sealed victory with an ace up the T, winning 3-6 6-4 7-5.

Minutes prior to that on court 1, Austrian journeyman Stefan Koubek had provided the first major upset of the tournament when he put out Youzhny 6-4 6-3, saving all 9 break points and converting 2 out of 6.

The Russian, who had not been fully fit with a bad lower back at Wimbledon, started well and engineered a break point in the opening game with a spectacular backhand winner down the line. Koubek held on however, and broke Youzhny in the tenth game to take the set as the Russian's backhand slice floated long.

Youzhny earned himself three consecutives break points in the third game of the second set, but the plucky Austrian saved them all including  a daring serve and volley which he executed to perfection.

With the rain beginning to fall heavily once again, Youzhny threw in a loose service game and was broken to 30 when he netted a routine forehand.

With the Austrian serving for the match at 5-3, Youzhny had him at 0-40, but somehow lost all three break points opportunities plus another after it had gone to deuce as the left-hander steeled himself for a famous victory.

Apart from failing on all 9 break point chances, Youzhny's undoing was his woeful 40% first serves for the match which left him vulnerable on his delivery.

Youzhny will next head for Amersfoort in the hope for better things next week.

Meanwhile, there was no such problems for third seeded Richard Gasquet, now the highest seed left in the tournament. He handily took care of business as he saw off Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-3 6-4 to set up a second round match with Kristof Vliegen. 

Andre Jones

Roy Emerson Arena

Gstaad