Newport, RI -- (Sports Network) - Former champion Robby Ginepri and 2008 runner- up Prakash Amritraj posted first-round wins, while fourth-seeded German Benjamin Becker came up a loser Monday at the $500,000 Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.

Becker succumbed to American Brendan Evans 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 7-5 on the grass courts on the grounds of the International Tennis Hall of Fame.

Meanwhile, the 2003 Newport champion Ginepri, of the United States, snuck past Spaniard Santiago Ventura 6-2, 1-6, 6-4, while the Indian wild card Amritraj erased Thai Danai Udomchoke 6-1, 6-4. Amritraj, the son of former ATP star Vijay Amritraj, lost to crafty Frenchman Fabrice Santoro in last year's Newport finale.

Santoro is this week's highest seed, at No. 2. Top-seeded American Mardy Fish pulled out of the draw in order to join the United States for its Davis Cup quarterfinal at Croatia this weekend.

Two other Americans reached the second round, as Taylor Dent leveled Brazilian Marcos Daniel 6-2, 6-1 and Jesse Levine topped Aussie Chris Guccione 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2). The wild card Dent was the Newport champion back in 2002.

One other opening-rounder saw German Daniel Brands dismiss American Vincent Spadea 6-0, 6-4. Spadea was the 2005 Newport runner-up.

The 2009 Newport champion will collect $79,000.