SAN JOSE. Feb 1: Top-seeded Michael Chang strug gled with his serve but hung on to beat fellow American Tommy Ho 6-3. 6-4 in the first round of the San Jose Open on Monday night, reports AP.

Chang, ranked ninth in t|ie world, needed 88 minutes to defeat Ho. committing five double faults and getting only 49 per cenL-of his first serves in. '

Ho broke Chang's serve twice, the second time when Chang was serving for the match at 5-2. That game went to deuce six times, with Chang blowing two match points and double faulting once.

"1 hit a few double faults today. but I didn't think 1 served that bad." said Chang, who skipped the Australian open and has been taking .time off to improve his serve and power. "Speedwise, it could be more consistent, definitely.”

In the second set. Ho took advantage of Chang's second serves but couldn't come back from two breaks down.

"He served fairly Well until the last game when he was trying to serve it out." said Ho. ranked 152nd. "For him to have a big first serve Is a plus, but he has other good parts of his game. It helped me for hftn to miss some first serves."

Chang advanced to face Denmark's Kenneth Carlsen, a 6-1 6-2 winner over Ken Flach.

In earlier first-round matches. Steve Bryan took fifth-seeded Karsten Braasch of Germany to a tiebreaker in the first set before falling. 7-6. (7-4): 6-4. Braasch. ranked 55th in the world, served 17 aces.

No. 6 seed Renzo Furlan of Italy had no trouble with qualifier Brian Devening, beating him 6-2. 6-1. and eighth-seeded Luiz Mattar eliminated Brandon Coupe, a San Jose State student playing tn his first pro event.-Matter defeated Coupe, 6-3. 6-3.

The dlrs 288.750 tournament, the first North American stop on the ATP Tour, is being held for the first year in the new San Jose Arena after being held in San Francisco since 1977.