Lukas Rosol and Jerzy Janowicz set up a second-round meeting at the Winston-Salem Open which will serve as a re-match of last year's final.
Twelve months ago Rosol beat Janowicz to take the title and the pair are set to meet again after Rosol beat Ernests Gulbis 6-4 7-6 (7/4) to go through to the second round, where 16th seed Janowicz awaits.
"It's always not easy to defend a title," said Rosol on the ATP website. "To beat Ernests in the first round was a tough match. I lost to him two weeks ago in the Montreal second round. I'm happy to continue the winning streak in Winston-Salem.
"I was trying to concentrate on every point. Ernests started to serve very well in the second set so it was tricky. I feel pretty good on this surface here in Winston-Salem and I've been practising here since Thursday.
"It won't be easy playing Jerzy again. He's serving very well and I have to wait for my chances. I'll try to play my best."
Martin Klizan will face 11th seed Jiri Vesely after beating Marsel Ilhan 7-6 (7/1) 6-2, while fellow qualifier Pierre-Hugues Herbert set up a meeting with number 14 Marcos Baghdatis by beating Sergiy Stakhovsky 6-3 6-2.
Simone Bolelli's reward for a 6-4 6-3 win over Federico Delbonis is a match-up against seventh seed Sam Querrey.
Aljaz Bedene is to face top seed Gilles Simon after a 6-2 6-2 win over Marco Cecchinato.
There were also wins for Malek Jaziri, Pablo Carreno Busta, Denis Istomin, Frances Tiafoe, Thanasi Kokkinakis and Borna Coric.
Source: PA
