MIAMI (AFP) - American Mardy Fish, who shocked world number one Roger Federer en route to the Indian Wells final last week, won't be making a giant-killing run at the second ATP Masters Series tournament of the season.
Fish fell at the first hurdle at the 7.54 million-dollar WTA and ATP hardcourt tournament here Thursday, eliminated 6-3, 6-3 by France's Arnaud Clement.
For Clement it was a welcome change of fortune after three straight first-round defeats in 2008, at the Australian Open, Marseille and Indian Wells.
Fish was coming off perhaps the most impressive tournament of his career. He eliminated five seeded players at Indian Wells, including three top-10 players in Nikolay Davydenko, David Nalbandian and Federer.
He finally succumbed to Serbian Novak Djokovic in the final, but his performance saw him leap from 98th to 40th in the world rankings.
"It's obviously a little disappointing to go out so early here," Fish said. "But I'm going to take a lot of memories from last week."
Fish said the letdown after such a week was mental rather than physical.
"It's pretty much all mental," said the American, a former 17th-ranked player whose career has been dogged by injuries. "I can't remember the last time going deep into a tournament that I felt that good."
Fish said fitness work had helped him with recurring tendinitis in his arm that in the past could hinder him late in tournaments.
"So physically, I feel fine," he said. "It's the mental part of having to turn around and come back. OK, now I'm in the first round again.
"Mentally, it's really tough to come down from that."
However, Fish said he knew it was a skill he would need if he is to establish himself among the world's best.
"That's what's amazing about these guys that come back," he said. "Roger just keeps winning and winning, and comes back the next week and plays fine.
"I'm guessing that if last week happens more often than it does for me, I'm a little bit better at re-energizing and refocusing."
Defending champion Djokovic is to open his campaign on Friday, as is Spanish world number two Rafael Nadal.
In women's first-round play, Japanese veteran Ai Sugiyama defeated Russian wild card Anastasia Pivovarova, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2).
Sugiyama, 32, is making her 14th appearance here, while 17-year-old Pivovarova was playing her second career WTA event.
France's Emilie Loit defeated Virginia Ruano Pascual, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4, to set up a clash with second-seeded Ana Ivanovic of Serbia - the newly crowned Indian Wells champion.
Defending champion Serena Williams, seeded eighth, launches her campaign with a second-round match on Friday, as does world number one Justine Henin of Belgium.
