ISTANBUL — Thomaz Bellucci defeated seventh-seeded Mikhail Youzhny 7-6 (5), 6-3 Monday in the opening round of the inaugural Istanbul Open.
Bellucci served six aces to eliminate Youzhny.
Andrey Golubev swept past wild card Nikoloz Basilashvili 6-1, 6-3 in the other main-draw match.
Roger Federer is the top-seeded player in the event, one of the clay tournaments leading up to the French Open. He is could meet Grigor Dimitrov in the final.
Federer, Dimitrov, third-seeded Pablo Cuevas and No. 4 Santiago Giraldo had first-round byes. Dimitrov's first match will be against Golubev.