Muller into 2nd round, Gasquet withdraws

ROTTERDAM — Gilles Muller set up a second-round match with former US Open champion Marin Cilic at the World Tennis Tournament after coming from a set down to beat Andreas Seppi Tuesday. Muller, the world No. 40, hit 19 aces on his way to a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-4 win over Seppi, his first win over the Italian in four meetings. Top-seeded Richard Gasquet — winner in Montpellier last week — withdrew from the indoor event because of illness and a groin injury. Frenchman Gasquet said that he felt his groin strain the day before winning the Montpellier tournament for the third time at the weekend. The 29-year-old ranked 13th came to Rotterdam in hopes he could heal but said that he is also now feeling ill and had no choice but to quit the indoor event. Philipp Kohlschreiber advanced to the second round with a 6-4, 6-4 win over 2013 runner-up Julien Benneteau to extend his unbeaten record against the Frenchman to six matches. Next up for Kohlschreiber is qualifier Ivan Dodig. Also progressing was 19-year-old Hyeon Chung, who defeated Guillermo Garcia-Lopez 5-7, 6-4, 6-4. Sharapova to miss Fed Cup tie World No. 6 Maria Sharapova will skip her country's upcoming Fed Cup playoff tie against Belarus, Russia's tennis federation said Tuesday. "Sharapova will definitely not play," R-Sport agency quoted Russian tennis chief Shamil Tarpischev as saying. "She will be busy with tournaments in the US." Sharapova remained on course to compete at this summer's Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games after being named to Russia's doubles team for the country's Fed Cup first-round tie with the Netherlands last week. The five-time Grand Slam champion was warned by Tarpischev earlier this month that she risked missing out on Rio if she failed to turn out for the Fed Cup tie, which Russia lost 3-1. Russia will now host Belarus — which defeated Canada in World Group II last week — on April 16 and 17 to avoid relegation from World Group I.