Monfils, Verdasco advance in Buenos Aires

Pablo Cuevas was the only seed to fall at the Argentina Open, beaten by Frenchman Gael Monfils.

Gael Monfils and Fernando Verdasco moved into the Argentina Open second round with straight-sets wins on Tuesday.

Unseeded at the ATP 250 event in Buenos Aires, Monfils was too good for Pablo Cuevas 6-1 6-4 in their first-round clash.

The Frenchman converted all three of his break points against the seventh seed to advance after just 65 minutes.

Verdasco, the eighth seed at the clay-court event, overcame Brazilian Thiago Monteiro 6-2 7-5.

The only other seed in action was Diego Schwartzman, who powered past Andreas Haider-Maurer 6-4 6-3.

Fresh off winning his first ATP World Tour title in Ecuador, Roberto Carballes Baena was downed in the first round, beaten 6-2 6-4 by lucky loser Gastao Elias.

Locals Horacio Zeballos and Leonardo Mayer advanced, the former crushing qualifier Marco Cecchinato 6-1 6-4 and the latter battling past Rogerio Dutra Silva 6-7 (4-7) 6-2 6-4.

Meanwhile, Aljaz Bedene needed just 62 minutes to beat Jiri Vesely 6-0 6-3.