Former finalist Potito Starace of Italy beat qualifier Ivo Klec of Slovakia 6-3, 7-6 (6) in the first round of the Croatia Open on Tuesday.

Also joining the 2010 runner-up in the next round were countryman Fabio Fognini, Blaz Kavcic of Slovenia and Marco Trungelliti of Argentina.

Fognini, a semifinalist in 2008 and 2011, defeated Karol Beck of Slovakia 6-3, 6-1. Kavcic downed Croatia's Antonio Veic 6-2, 6-2 and Trungelliti beat Italy's Paolo Lorenzi 7-5, 6-4.