Marcos Baghdatis broke a two-match losing streak against Ernests Gulbis on Tuesday, beating the 2013 champion 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 in two hours and 10 minutes for a place in the St. Peterburg Open second round.

“I’m happy with some things in my game and not really happy with some others,” admitted Baghdatis. “I was happy with the way that I returned and that’s why I could break him.”

In the next round, the Cypriot will face Tommy Robredo, who trails the FedEx ATP Head2Head rivalry 2-3 but has won the pairs past two meetings. The fifth seed overcame 2004 champion Mikhail Youzhny and a partisan Russian crowd to win 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. Robredo saved seven of nine break points faced in the match while going three-for-three on break opportunities.

In other action, Jerzy Janowicz was leading 6-4, 3-0 when sixth seed Benoit Paire retired after 50 minutes.