Blake, 19, who reached the National Collegiate Athletic Association final as a Harvard University sophomore before turning pro three weeks ago, blamed nerves for his rough first set yesterday.

Washington's appearance was his first of the year and his first on grass since losing the 1996 Wimbledon final to Richard Krajicek. He has been working to strengthen a knee that has troubled him for more than two years.

The 30-year-old Washington acknowledged that his career is at a crossroads. He said he would determine his tennis future after seeing how his knee responds to a busier summer schedule.

In other matches of the championship, where India's Leander Paes is the defending men's singles champion, Blake's older brother, Thomas, won a qualifying match against David Wheaton, thetournament's 1994 champion.

Also in first round action, unseeded Max Mirnyi (Belarus) defeated sixth-seeded American Justin Gimelstob, 6-3, 7-6 (7-2).

Armenia's Sargis Sargsian, the fifth seed and 1997 champion, was the only other seeded player to play. He defeated Axel Pretzsch (Germany) 7-6 (7-5), 2-6, 6-4.

Rios struggles

GSTAAD (SWITZERLAND): A rusty Marcelo Rios struggled to overcome Bohdan Ulihrach 6-2, 6-7 (7-9), 7-6 (7-1) in the first round of the Swiss Open yesterday.

Rios has been out of action with a thigh injury since a quarter-final defeat by Dominik Hrbaty at the French Open five weeks ago.

A return to clay also meant a return to form for Spain's Albert Costa, Morocco's Hicham Arazi, American Vince Spadea and Drenchman Arnaud di Pasquale.

First round losers at Wimbledon, the four moved smoothly into the second round. Di Pasquale was the only player to drop a set.

Costa, Swiss open champion in 1996, demolished Switzerland's Lorenzo Manta 6-1, 6-1.

The eighth-seededSpaniard, who was brushed aside in the opening round at Wimbledon by Briton Arvind Parmar, ranked 455th in the world, looked much more at home on his preferred surface, needing just just 43 minutes to dispose of Manta.

Di Pasquale, Tim Henman's first victim at Wimbledon, also enjoyed his return to clay, beating French Open semi-finalist Fernando Meligeni of Brazil 6-3 5-7 6-0.

Spadea, who reached the third round of the French Open eliminating fifth seeded Dutchman Krajicek along the way, brushed aside Italy's Renzo Furlan 6-3, 6-2 while Arazi swept past Czech Jiri Novak 6-3, 7-6.