HALLE, Germany (AP) Second-seeded Tomas Berdych saved three match points before rallying past Ruben Bemelmans 5-7, 7-6 (8), 6-4 Tuesday to reach the second round of the Gerry Weber Open.
The Czech faced match points in the second-set tiebreaker before finishing off the Belgian in the tuneup before Wimbledon.
Berdych broke Bemelmans' serve once, to open the third set, and sealed the match with an ace.
I believed until the very last point was played. I was feeling quite good on the court even though the score didn't look like that,'' said Berdych, who won in 2007.I know how tough it is to close the match, and I used my experience over him.''
Tommy Haas of Germany lost to Seppi of Italy, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3. Haas, the 2009 winner, played only his second tournament after undergoing right hip and right elbow surgery last year.
I played well at times. I was forcing it, wanting it too much,'' Haas said.I just need to play matches.''
Viktor Troicki and Milos Raonic breezed into the second round.
Troicki, who helped Serbia win the 2010 Davis Cup title, needed just 53 minutes to get past Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-2, 6-3. Troicki will play Igor Andreev of Russia.
Raonic took just a bit longer to dispatch of Pablo Andujar of Spain 6-3, 6-1. The 20-year-old Canadian's next opponent will be Tobias Kamke of Germany.
Florian Mayer had a harder time beating German compatriot Dustin Brown 7-6 (6), 2-6, 6-3.
Philipp Petzschner defeated Dominik Meffert 6-2, 7-6 (5), and will face Daniel Gimeno-Traver of Spain, who rallied for a 1-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 victory over Andrey Golubev.
Roger Federer pulled out of the tournament to rest his groin ahead of Wimbledon.