AUCKLAND, New Zealand -- Former world No. 1 Gustavo Kuerten advanced to the second round of the Heineken Open on Tuesday, but Wimbledon runner-up David Nalbandian lost to fellow Argentinian Mariano Zabaleta.

Kuerten, a three-time French Open champion seeded fourth here, won 7-6 (5), 6-4 over Martin Verkerk of the Netherlands.

The match was Keurten's first since his opening-round losses in Rome and Paris in October. As a result, his world ranking dropped to 37 by the end of last year.

Nalbandian, the world's 12th-ranked player, followed fifth-seeded Jose Acasuso out of the tournament, beaten 2-6, 7-6 (3), 6-3 by Zabaleta. The two had not previously met in an ATP match.

Nalbandian, a quarterfinalist in Auckland last year, won the first set comfortably but seemed to wilt in the oppressive humidity of the afternoon.

Top-seeded Jiri Novak, a former winner at Auckland, progressed effortlessly to the second round, beating American Robert Kendrick 6-2, 6-3. Kendrick, 23, was playing his first ATP tour main draw match after passing through qualifying.

Eighth-seeded Davide Sanguinetti of Italy was also beaten Tuesday, 6-3, 6-3 by Raemon Sluiter of the Netherlands

Third-seeded Fernando Gonzalez of Chile advanced to the second round with a 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2 win over Spaniard Feliciano Lopez.

American qualifiers Robby Ginepri and Michael Russell sealed second-round berths with close straight-set wins.

Russell beat Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic 7-6 (4), 6-4. Ginepri took Agustin Calleri of Argentina 7-6 (5), 7-5.

Seventh-seeded Guillermo Coria of Argentina beat David Sanchez of Spain 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.

American Jan-Michel Gambill, the sixth seed, beat Michel Kratochvil of Switzerland 6-1, 6-3.