ZAGREB, Feb 4 Defending champion Marin Cilic beat Jan Hajek of the Czech Republic 6-2, 6-2 on Wednesday in the first round of the Zagreb Indoors.

The top-seeded Croat, who reached the Australian Open semi-finals last week, broke four times. He will play Daniel Koellerer of Austria.

Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic is co-coaching Cilic at the Zagreb Indoors.

Ivan Ljubicic defeated Arnaud Clement of France 7-6 (4), 6-3. The second-seeded Croat will meet Lukas Lacko of Slovakia.

Ivo Karlovic also advanced to the second round after Antonio Veic retired at 5-4 because of ankle injury in an all-Croatian match.

Third-seeded Jurgen Melzer of Austria and No. 4 Viktor Troicki of Serbia advanced to the quarterfinals after winning their second-round matches.

Melzer beat Olivier Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 6-3 and will play Illya Marchenko of Ukraine, who outclassed Croatia's Ivan Dodig 6-4, 6-2.

Troicki downed Mikhail Kukushkin of Kazakhstan 7-5, 7-5.

Wednesday's results (prefix number denotes seeding)

Second round 4-Viktor Troicki (Serbia) bt Mikhail Kukushkin (Kazakhstan) 7-5, 7-5; 3-Juergen Melzer (Austria) bt Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 6-2, 6-3; Illya Marchenko (Ukraine) bt Ivan Dodig (Croatia) 6-4, 6-2.

First round 7-Ivo Karlovic (Croatia) bt Antonio Veic (Croatia) 4-5 (Veic retired); 1-Marin Cilic (Croatia) bt Jan Hajek (Czech Republic) 6-2, 6-2; 2-Ivan Ljubicic (Croatia) bt Arnaud Clement (France) 7-6(4), 6-3.

GONZALEZ IN QUARTERS

SANTIAGO (Chile) Top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez reached the quarter-finals of his hometown Movistar Open for the eighth successive year when he beat Spanish qualifier Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday.

Gonzalez has gone on to win the title four times, in 2002, 2004, 2008 and 2009.

The Chilean star lost his serve only once, blowing a 3-1 lead, then broke Hidalgo three times in wrapping up his 30th win in the tournament's history, against only five defeats.

Wednesday's results

Second round 1-Fernando Gonzalez (Chile) bt Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (Spain) 6-4, 6-3; Marcel Granollers (Spain) bt Lukasz Kubot (Poland) 6-4, 6-2; Alberto Martin (Spain) bt Ricardo Mello (Brazil) 6-3, 6-4; Joao Souza (Brazil) bt Pere Riba (Spain) 6-4, 6-4. —Reuters