Tennis

Zemlja defeats Malisse at ATP Vienna

Published Oct. 16, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

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Grega Zemlja of Slovenia rallied to defeat Xavier Malisse of Belgium 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (6) Tuesday in the first round of the Erste Bank Open.

Zemlja failed to serve out the match at 6-5 in the third set but converted his second match point in the tiebreaker against the eighth-seeded Malisse, who reached the quarterfinals here last year.

Paolo Lorenzi of Italy beat No. 7 Benoit Paire of France 6-4, 6-4. None of the three seeded players in action so far reached the second round after No. 6 Robin Haase lost his opener Monday.

Also, Jesse Levine of the United States defeated Lukasz Kubot of Poland 6-3, 6-4, and Daniel Brands of Germany lost the opening set before beating Ruben Bemelmans of Belgium, 6-7 (5), 6-4, 6-3.

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