Fish rallies to defeat Vassallo Arguello

HOUSTON, Apr 11 (Reuters) Defending champion Mardy Fish needed a third-set rally to defeat Martin Vassallo Arguello 5-7, 6-2, 7-5 in the first round of the US Clay Court Championships.

Fish dropped his serve twice to give the Argentine a 3-0 lead in the final set, but won the next three games to put the game back on serve.

The fourth-seeded American sealed the win by breaking Arguello in the final game.

Fish will next face Argentine qualifier Mariano Zabaleta, who stopped 19-year-old American wild card Ryan Sweeting 6-0, 7-6.

Spain's Albert Montanes, denied a first-round match against top seed Andy Roddick when the three-times champion withdrew with a hamstring injury, advanced to the second round with a 6-3, 6-2 win over Austrian lucky loser Alexander Peya.

Reuters DH VP0737