WASHINGTON, April 11 (Xinhua) -- Tommy Haas clawed back from a set down to overcome American Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-3, 7-5 on Wednesday in the first round at the U.S. Clay Court ATP tournament.

The third-seeded German was down a break in the deciding set, but got it back in the seventh game and then broke the 19-year-oldat love four games later to go up 6-5. Haas, champion here in 2004,won the final 12 points of the match.

In second-round matches earlier Wednesday, Austria's fifth seed Jurgen Melzer, last year's runner-up, beat Victor Hanescu of Romania 6-4, 6-2, and Albert Montanes of Spain beat Serbian Dusan Vemic 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

American Alex Kuznetsov beat Lars Burgsmuller of Germany 7-5, 7-5 in a first-round match Wednesday.