The 2008 Rome Masters started with a series of upsets yesterday as two of the ATP top 10 players entered in the tournament exited in the first round.

The first to go was France’s Richard Gasquet who continued a dreadful build-up to the 2008 French Open by losing to unheralded Peruvian qualifier Luis Horna 6-4, 6-1 in the first match of the 2008 Rome Masters.

Next to go was Russian Marat Safin, who had entered the 2008 Masters on a wildcard. Safin lost 6-7, 6-2, 6-1 to home favourite Andreas Seppi, with 13 breaks of serve taking place in the match.

The 8 top seeded players at the 2008 Rome Masters have received byes to the second round of the tournament. The pick of the second round clashes is the looming confrontation between Roger Federer and Guillermo Canas.

Canas has won 3 out of his 5 encounters with Roger Federer, including two consecutive victories over the world number one in Masters Series events on clay.

While Federer will be nervously anticipating another early exit from a Masters event, Canas was more reserved about his prospects: “I have nothing to lose,” Canas told the Associated Press. “I’ll try my best and even that might not be enough.”