Third seed Mikhail Youzhny eased into the second round of the Kremlin Cup with a 6-1 7-6 victory over Argentina's Horacio Zeballos in Moscow.

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The Russian world number 30 claimed seven consecutive games to win the first set in 26 minutes and take a 1-0 lead in the second before Zeballos put up more of a fight.

Youzhny, who reached the final of the Japan Open earlier this month, was finally able to subdue his 54th-ranked opponent by clinching the tiebreak 7-5.

"In the first set I was confident and fresh, while he made too many mistakes," Youzhny said. "I took seven consecutive games but then lost my concentration for a while and lost a serve, while he was serving and returning much better.

"But it was my only mistake in the match and I managed to win the tiebreak."

He will face Potito Starace for a place in the last eight after the Italian eliminated Russian Evgeny Donskoy 6-3 6-3.

Fifth seed Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay also went through with a 6-4 6-2 win over Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun to set up a second-round encounter with Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili, who overcame Slovak Karol Beck 3-6 6-4 6-4.

In-form Russian Nikolay Davydenko, who won the Shanghai Masters on Sunday to climb to number six in the world, heads the field at the annual indoor tournament in Moscow and will take on compatriot Marat Safin in the first round on Wednesday.

WTA Moscow continues Tuesday 10am LIVE on British Eurosport (Sky 410 / Virgin Media 521); Also available on your PC via the Eurosport Player - click on the link under the picture to subscribe.