Defending champ Almagro wins first-round

COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil, Feb. 9 (UPI) -- Defending champion Nicolas Almagro of Spain beat Brazilian wild card Ricardo Hocevar 7-6 (7-4), 7-5 in Monday's first round at the Brasil Open.

The top-seeded Almagro, who beat Spaniard Carlos Moya in last year's finale here, drew a second-round match against Argentine Martin Vassallo Arguello, a winner over Chilean Nicolas Massu 7-6 (7-4), 2-6, 6-4.

Also Monday, fifth seed Marcel Granollers of Spain beat Brazilian wild card Flavio Saretta, 6-2, 2-6, 6-1; sixth-seeded Argentine Eduardo Schwank beat fellow countryman Diego Junqueira, 6-1, 7-5; and Spaniard Alberto Martin beat Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti, 6-4, 7-5.