Vienna - Tommy Haas rallied to beat fifth-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (5) on Tuesday in the first round of the Erste Bank Open.
The 273rd-ranked German, who won the event in 2001, failed to serve out the match at 5-3 in the decider but converted his fourth match point in the tie-breaker.
Haas will next play Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia, who won the opening set against Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (4) before the Croat pulled out with a back injury.
Eighth-seeded Fabio Fognini of Italy advanced after Tommy Robredo of Spain retired with a left leg injury while trailing 7-6 (7), 5-7, 2-1.
Also, 2008 champion Philipp Petzschner of Germany routed Spain's Pablo Andujar 6-2, 6-2, and Daniel Brands of Germany defeated Martin Fischer of Austria 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Results on Tuesday at the Erste Bank Open, an ATP tour event on indoor hard courts at Wiener Stadthalle (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
First Round
Aljaz Bedene, Slovenia, def. Ivo Karlovic, Croatia, 7-6 (4), retired.
Daniel Brands, Germany, def. Martin Fischer, Austria, 6-7 (3), 6-2, 7-6 (6).
Fabio Fognini (8), Italy, def. Tommy Robredo, Spain, 7-6 (7), 5-7, 2-1, retired.
Philipp Petzschner, Germany, def. Pablo Andujar, Spain, 6-2, 6-2.
Tommy Haas, Germany, def. Juan Ignacio Chela (5), Argentina, 6-7 (3), 6-3, 7-6 (5).
Xavier Melisse, Belgium, def. Albert Ramos, Spain, 6-1, 6-4.
Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, Spain, def. James Blake, United States, 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.
Dominic Thiem, Austria, def. Thomas Muster, Austria, 6-2, 6-3.