Court Eight became a seeds graveyard at the XL Capital Bermuda Open yesterday with two of the top five dropping out on day two of the first round.

Third-ranked Argentinian Edgardo Massa fell to Czech qualifier Tomas Cakl, withdrawing 2-0 down in the second.

Cakl matched the world number 91 stroke for stroke before breaking him at 6-5 to take the opening set.

The bearded and emotional Czech was putting his all into every accurate groundstroke while the chunky Massa seemed to be on the defence more than his ranking would suggest. At the end of the set, the uncomfortable-looking seed called for the trainer and two games later it was all over.

"He was playing unbelievable," said Cakl, on his first visit to Bermuda. "But I was matching him, although I think he had trouble with his shoulder. "I am happy to be through, this is big tournament for me and I am glad to have beaten a player like Edgardo.

"I have played three games now and I am a little tired, there was a lot of running around for every shot."

Bjorn Phau became the third seed to be dumped out of the Open, going down in three sets to Alex Bogomolov Jr.

The 25-year-old German number five seed went down 6-7, 6-3, 6-2 to the Russian-born American in the quiet confines of the outside court.

With rain threatened for today, all possible surfaces were in use with eight matches being played on the outside three courts.

Second seed Tomas Zib advanced with ease, overcoming Austrian Alexander Peya, a regular visitor to the XL, 6-4, 6-0.

Seventh seed Kristof Vliegen, of Belgium, had a slightly more eventful time, beating the unstable Robert Kendrick in three sets.

A former doubles finalist here, the American blew hot and cold, hitting exceptional shots immediately followed by the schoolboy variety ? and everything in between. Kendrick, who spent a lot of the match shouting at himself, went down 6-1, 2-6, 6-4.