Ferrero, still struggling for fitness after a disappointing season, overcame four double-faults in one game and three brief rain breaks to see off 256th-ranked American Justin Gimelstob 6-4, 6-1.

Two forehand errors from the American sealed the match for Ferrero as he bids for his second Asian title after winning in Hong Kong's Salem Open in 2002.

The Spaniard, last year's US Open finalist who fell in the second round this time around, spent an hour in the treatment room after his win.

"It's been a frustrating season, it's been impossible for me to play normal tennis with my various injuries. But now I'm feeling good, I'm happy to try and regain my level once again," said Ferrero, who has battled chicken pox, rib injury and a persistent adductor muscle problem this year.

"I need to restore my confidence and I'm hoping to return to top form. Right now, I'm playing at 85 or 90 percent fitness."

Meanwhile Paradorn, Asia's top-ranked player and the sixth seed here, won the last three games of the second set as he rallied from 3-5 down to beat Frenchman Jean-Rene Lisnard 6-4, 7-5.

"I knew that I would have a chance to win in straight sets," said Paradorn, who improved his record to 2-0 over Lisnard.

"I'm playing (Israeli) Noam Okun next. I'll got into that match very seriously and with concentration."

Eighth-seeded Slovakian Dominik Hrbaty was untroubled by mismatched Chinese competitor Yu Wang, winning 6-2, 6-2, while Italian veteran Davide Sanguinetti needed three sets to beat Australian qualifier Nathan Healey 5-7, 7-5, 6-2.

The rain, which returned on Wednesday evening after a day of downpours on Tuesday, left five opening-round matches still unplayed including those involving Spanish top seed Carlos Moya and number five Marat Safin.