Feliciano Lopez downs Nick Kyrgios in Italian Open first round

Eleventh seed Feliciano Lopez booked his place in the second round of the Italian Open with a straight-sets win over Nick Kyrgios this afternoon.

The pair traded breaks in the opening two games before Lopez made a crucial break in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead.

The Spaniard served out the set comfortably to love but didn't have it all his own way in the second.

He failed to take the only break-point chance either man gave up and a tie-break was required to separate the pair.

In the breaker, Kyrgios had the early advantage with a 3-1 lead, but Lopez stormed to victory by winning six of the next seven points.

The world number 13 will face either Bernard Tomic or Victor Troicki in the last 32.