Somdev Devvarman making it to the final of the Chennai Open last year was a great achievement, but there was something that robbed a little shine off it.
The Indian was scheduled to play Rainer Schuettler in the last four but the German veteran withdrew, giving Somdev a safe passage to the decider (which Somdev eventually lost).
However, on Tuesday it was time to make amends, as Somdev took out Schuettler in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 to advance to the second round.
Having lost his first service game to trail 0-2 in the opening set, Somdev broke right back. But the German veteran broke the Indian's serve again in the sixth to open up a 5-2 lead.
It was at this juncture that Somdev displayed how much he has matured as a player in the past year or so, taking five games in succession to pocket the set.
The 33-year-old German, a finalist at the Australian Open in 2003 and a finalist here back in 1999, surrendered completely in the second.
Somdev broke Schuettler in the opening game of the second set, and repeated the feat in the fifth, to romp home in 96 minutes.
"I was not there to prove anything; I was just trying to win my first match," said Somdev, in a palpable reference to last year's scheduled semi-final.
"There was a few nerves for sure at the start but once I broke back there was no nervousness from then on," he added.
Somdev, one of the three Indians in the main draw, will have a tougher task next up when he faces fourth seed Janko Tipsarevic, the Serbian having beaten Carlos Moya in his opener on Monday.
"Janko is going to be tough for he has no visible weaknessess," admitted Somdev, adding, "but I know I can play him."
Meanwhile, the other Indians in the draw failed to match Somdev's effort though. Prakash Amritraj, having forced to qualify for the first time, failed to impress.
The toll that the three qualifying matches had taken on the 26-year-old showed as he gave up without a fight against American Michael Russell, losing 3-6, 1-6.
Meanwhile Rohan Bopanna, handed a wild card for the first time, failed to make the most of the opportunity, losing to third-seeded Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka 6-1, 6-4.
