NEWPORT,(Rhode Island), July 6: American top seed Taylor Dent registered a 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 triumph on Tuesday over Amer Delic in the first round of the 355,000 dollar ATP Hall of Fame Championship.

Dent, who lost to world No. 2 Lleyton Hewitt of Australia in the fourth round at Wimbledon, will face Wesley Moodie in the second round.

The South African defeated Wang Yeu-tzuoo of Taipei 6-4, 6-4.

Defending champion Greg Rusedski of Great Britain also reached the second round Tuesday. Rusedski rallied past Italian qualifier Uros Vico, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Canadian-born Rusedski’s next opponent will be Canadian Frank Dancevic a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Czech Robin Vik.

Scottish teen Andrew Murray, the new toast of Britain after making the third round at Wimbledon, defeated Gregory Carraz of France, 6-4, 7-5, in a first-round match.

Murray will face Antony Dupuis of France in the second round. Dupuis easily defeated eighth-seeded American James Blake, 6-2, 6-4.

Italian Daniele Bracciali, who pushed Andy Roddick to five sets in the second round at Wimbledon, upset No. 4 Cyril Saulnier of France, 7-5, 6-3. He next faces German Alexander Waske, a 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 6-4 winner over Belgian Gille Elseneer.

Slovakian Michael Mertinak outlasted Bobby Reynolds, 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3, to set up a second-round match with another American, fifth seed Robby Ginepri.

In another first-round match in which a Slovakian defeated an American, Karol Kucera edged Jeff Morrison, 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7-1).

But seventh-seeded Paul Goldstein of the US survived, beating Dick Norman of Belgium, 6-3, 1-6, 6-3.

Results(first round)

Taylor Dent (USA) bt Amer Delic (USA) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4; Greg Rusedski (GBR) bt Uros Vico (ITA) 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; Daniele Bracciali (ITA) bt Cyril Saulnier (FRA) 7-5, 6-3; Paul Goldstein (USA) bt Dick Norman (BEL) 6-3, 1-6, 6-3; Antony Dupuis (FRA) bt James Blake (USA) 6-2, 6-4; Andrew Murray (GBR) bt Gregory Carraz (FRA) 6-4, 7-5; Michal Mertinak (SVK) bt Bobby Reynolds (USA) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 6-3; Karol Kucera (SVK) bt Jeff Morrison (USA) 7-6 (10/8), 7-6 (7/1); Alexander Waske (GER) bt Gilles Elseneer (BEL) 7-6 (7/-5), 4-6, 6-4; Wesley Moodie (RSA) bt Wang Yeu-tzuoo (TPE) 6-4, 6-4; Robin Vik (CZE) bt Frank Dancevic (CAN) 4-6, 6-1, 6-3; Dusan Vemic (SCG) bt Alex Bogomolov (USA) 6-2, 6-3; Florin Mergea (ROM) bt Brian Wilson (USA) 6-2, 6-2.—AFP