Gasquet among first-round winners in Rome

Rome, Italy – Richard Gasquet was among Sunday's opening- round winners at the Italian Masters tennis event, a clay-court French Open tune-up.

The ninth-seeded Frenchman beat American Sam Querrey 6-2, 7-6 (10-8) at Foro Italico. Gasquet's second-round opponent will be Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov, who topped Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis 6-3, 6-4.

In other first-round action, Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin rallied for a 5-7, 7-6 (7-5), 6-3 win over American John Isner, Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov bested Italian wild card Matteo Viola 6-4, 6-3, South African Kevin Anderson dismissed Austria's Jurgen Melzer 6-1, 6-2 and Spaniard Marcel Granollers advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Russian Nikolay Davydenko.

Six-time champion Rafael Nadal beat 2011 titlist and two-time winner Novak Djokovic in last year's marquee finale.

The "Big Four" of Djokovic, Andy Murray, Roger Federer and Nadal are all on hand this week.

The 2013 Rome winner will take home $660,000.