Former world number one Marat Safin tumbled out of the Swedish Open on Wednesday losing to Spaniard Nicolas Almagro 6-3, 7-6 in the first round and said he was looking forward to a life free from rackets and balls. Safin, who will retire at the end of the year, is scheduled to play another eight tournaments. Asked by the Swedish news agency TT if he would be interested in a coaching career, Safin replied: “I am tired of everything that has to do with rackets and balls. I want to do something completely different.” Tommy Robredo, another Spaniard, began his quest for a third Swedish Open title by easily beating Australian Peter Luczak 6-2, 6-3 in a second round match. Robredo faces Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, who beat Bjorn Phau of Germany 6-3, 6-2, in the last eight. Swede Robin Soderling beat Belgian Kristof Vliegen 6-2, 6-3 in another second round match. Pennetta, Rezai advance In Italy, top-seeded Flavia Pennetta paid back Italian compatriot Roberta Vinci for a crushing loss in April by winning 7-5, 6-1 to reach the Palermo Open quarterfinals on Wednesday. Pennetta won only three games against Vinci at Barcelona three months ago, but this time broke her seven times to even their head-to-heads at 3-all. Seventh-seeded Aravane Rezai of France also won her second-round match, overcoming Varvara Lepchenko of the United States 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-2 in just under three hours at Country Time Club. However, sixth-seeded Ekaterina Makarova of Russia fell to Olga Govortsova of Belarus 6-2, 6-2 in 44 minutes, and 2006 runner-up Tathiana Garbin of Italy ended the winning run of Maria Jose Martinez Sanchez of Spain 6-2, 6-3. Martinez Sanchez won the Swedish Open on Saturday. Second-seeded Patty Schnyder defeated Russian Anastasia Pivovarova 6-4, 6-0 to open her account. Sidorenko in quarters In Germany, Alexandre Sidorenko advanced to the quarterfinals of the Mercedes Cup by rallying to beat Oscar Hernandez of Spain 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 Wednesday. Sidorenko, a lucky loser who was ranked No. 193 coming into the tournament, earned his second victory at the ATP tour level and has the best career result by making the last eight. The Frenchman will next play fourth-seeded Victor Hanescu of Romania, who beat Rainer Schuettler of Germany 6-2, 6-1. In the first round, Paul-Henri Mathieu of France edged Mikhail Youzhny of Russia 7-6 (4), 7-6 (4). Martin Vassallo Arguello of Argentina came from behind to defeat Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan 3-6, 6-3, 6
