Karol Beck, Bjorn Phau advance

ST. PETERSBURG, Russia, Oct. 26 (UPI) -- Slovakian Karol Beck and Germany's Bjorn Phau were first-round winners Monday in the St. Petersburg Open in Russia.

Beck outlasted Serb Viktor Troicki, the No. 3 seed, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-4 and Phau topped countryman Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4.

In another match, Denis Istomin of Uzbekistan defeated German Rainer Schuettler 6-4, 6-4.

The tournament's top seed is Russian Mikhail Youzhny.