Vienna - Losing 2008 finalist Gael Monfils got back to work in a renewed title bid at the Bank Austria Trophy Wednesday, saying he is not even thinking about long-odds qualification chances for next month's ATP season wrap-up event. The French third seed started his campaign over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, 7-5, 6-4.
"I'm really not thinking about London at all," said Monfils, who stands provisional 16th in the race for the last two places in November's World Tour Finals in London where the eight best players of the year gather.
"I'm more excited about trying to win the title here .. I hope to play well here and next week in Valencia - then maybe I can qualify by winning Paris Bercy (Masters 1000) or something."
Also in the London hunt this week in Austria are second seed Radek Stepanek (14th) and top-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic (12th).
Serb Janko Tipsarevic followed up on his career-first final, last week in Moscow, as he puzzled through the unfamiliar game of John Isner to deal the eighth seed out in the first round, 7-6 (7-4), 6-4.
Tipsarevic will next play German Michael Berrer. Slovak Dominik Hrbaty, nearing the end of his career, beat Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain 6-3, 6-4.
Tipsarevic said that he had to quickly work out Isner's game after never having faced the No 39.
"I have only seen him on television. He played exactly like other guys told me.
"You need to try and move him, he hits the ball better from the spot rather than on the run. I won four points in his serve in the first set, but I had more chances in the second, including three break points on his second serve.
"I felt I had the better game today," said the 46th-ranked winner, playing Vienna for the first time in five years after a first-round loss.
Tipsarevic's final in Moscow was his first in 105 events and gave him confidence for this week indoors.
"I'm playing well and am happy with my game. I just need to develop consistency."
German Philipp Kohlschreiber claimed the first spot in the quarter-finals when injured opponent Victor Crivoi quit little more than half an hour into their match.
The fourth-seeded Kohlschreiber secured a 6-2, 3-0 win due to Crivoi's right shoulder problem.
Kohlschreiber will face Spanish fifth seed Nicolas Almagro, who beat American Wayne Odesnik 6-4, 6-4.
