Gstaad - Fifth-seeded Feliciano Lopez of Spain edged 102nd-ranked Adrian Ungur of Romania 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7) on Tuesday in the first round of the Swiss Open.
Lopez broke serve just once, but hit nine of his 14 aces in the final set to advance at the clay-court event.
Sixth-seeded Julien Benneteau of France was eliminated after slumping to a 3-6, 6-4, 6-1 loss to Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria.
In other three-set matches, Lukasz Kubot of Poland rallied to beat Ivan Dodig of Croatia 3-6, 6-3, 6-4, and Germany's Dustin Brown outlasted Sergiy Stakhovsky of Ukraine 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8).
Ernests Gulbis of Latvia beat Italian Filippo Volandri 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-3.
Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil routed Slovenia's Blaz Kavcic 6-1, 6-1, while Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic advanced when French opponent Edouard Roger-Vasselin retired with a stomach injury while trailing 4-1.
Results on Tuesday from the Swiss Open on outdoor clay at the Roy Emerson Arena (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
First Round
Feliciano Lopez (5), Spain, def. Adrian Ungur, Romania, 2-6, 6-4, 7-6 (9/7).
Grigor Dimitrov, Bulgaria, def. Julien Benneteau (6), France, 3-6, 6-4, 6-1.
Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil, def. Blaz Kavcic, Slovenia, 6-1, 6-1.
Lukasz Kubot, Poland, def. Ivan Dodig, Croatia, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Dustin Brown, Germany, def. Sergiy Stakhovsky, Ukraine, 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (10/8).
Ernests Gulbis, Latvia, def. Filippo Volandri, Italy, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 6-3.
Jan Hajek, Czech Republic, def. Edouard Roger-Vasselin, France, 4-1 retired.