Great Britain number three Aljaz Bedene booked a place in the second-round of the Croatia Open in Umag with a hard-fought 6-3 4-6 6-4 win over Joao Sousa of Portugal in Tuesday's final late-night match on Stadium Goran Ivanisevic.
Bedene, whose last match was a defeat in the third round of Wimbledon to Gilles Muller, broke early in the first set to move 2-0 ahead, only for both players to then fail to hold as the Briton led 3-1.
The world number 48 soon closed things out in 42 minutes when taking his third set-point chance.
Sousa, ranked 63 in the world, was broken again at the start of the second set, but then saved four break points in game three to trail 1-2 before then breaking back against Bedene to level.
Although Slovenia-born Bedene, who reached the final of the Hungarian Open in April, rallied again to break Sousa and lead 3-2, he failed to hold again in game eight as the Portuguese squared things at 4-4.
Bedene then had to serve to avoid a third set, but the momentum was with Sousa who broke at 15/40 to force a decider.
The 28-year-old regrouped for the final set and forced three-break chances in game three, which Sousa fended off.
The deciding set continued on serve until Bedene broke Sousa to love in game nine.
The Briton then served for the match, which he delivered on his first opportunity to complete victory in just over two hours.
Source: PA
