Legg Mason Day 5: Petzschner Debones Fish, Ferrero Robs Robredo

WASHINGTON--As was evident yesterday in Marin Cilic's loss to Somdev Devvarman, sometimes a bye isn't as much of a blessing as it would seem.

Philipp Petzschner, riding momentum off of his three-set first round win over Teimuraz Gabashvili, was able to outlast #9 seed Mardy Fish 1-6, 6-4, 6-1.  Paired with Juan Carlos Ferrero's win over #7 seed Tommy Robredo, seeds started Wednesday off 0-for-2.  Playing a first round match means possibly going out early, but it also means that if you make it to the second round you'll be primed to play well and already used to the conditions.

Fish wasn't showing any visible effects of the hip injury that forced him out of LA, though he did have his torso taped to support it.  What he did show symptoms of was irritablity, with him smashing racquets and asking the chair umpire to tell fans to be quiet repeatedly.

The narrative the media likes to use with Fish's every loss is about how his career is filled with constant disappointment.  I'm not sure that theory is completely fair, but I am sure this was a pretty terrible loss after having started the match so well.  If he pulls out of Montreal with his hip injury, it will explain some of this loss, but not all of it.

Robredo, on the other hand, was showing visible effects of apathy.  Ferrero took advantage early and often after looking shaky yesterday, and knocked out his compatriot convincingly by the score of 6-3, 6-2.  He said after the match that he does not expect to play Davis Cup next round, as Rafael Nadal, David Ferrer, Feliciano Lopez, and Fernando Verdasco would all be ahead of him if healthy.  But he said nothing about Robredo, ranked thirteen spots above him, being in his way.