Zagreb, Croatia – Reigning champion Mikhail Youzhny and former titlist Marcos Baghdatis were a pair of winners Wednesday at the Zagreb Indoors tennis event.
The third-seeded veteran Youzhny cruised past Dutchman Igor Sijsling 6-3, 6-2 in a second-rounder on Day 2.
Youzhny topped Slovak Lukas Lacko in last year's Zagreb finale.
The former Australian Open runner-up and 2007 Zagreb titlist Baghdatis, seeded sixth this week, fought off German Tobias Kamke 6-7 (6-8), 6-2, 6-4 in 2 hours, 1 minute in an opening-round affair at Dom Sportova.
"I did not expect him to play so good, I was a bit surprised," said Baghdatis. "He was very aggressive ... I needed time to adjust."
Meanwhile, Italian Flavio Cipolla upset an eighth-seeded Lacko 1-1 in the first round, as last year's runner-up retired with a back injury after only two games.
In other opening-round play, Dutchman Robin Haase overcame Croatian wild card Antonio Veic 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 and Croat Ivan Dodig bested German Benjamin Becker 6-2, 7-6 (7-3). Dodig was the Zagreb champ two years ago.
The second round will conclude on Thursday, including matches for top-seeded Croat Marin Cilic and Baghdatis, who will take on Slovenian Blaz Kavcic. The two-time Zagreb champion Cilic will also encounter a Slovenian, Grega Zemlja.
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