LOS ANGELES -- Alex Bogomolov Jr. earned his first win on the ATP Tour this year when he beat Ricardo Mello 6-3, 6-2 Monday in the Mercedes-Benz Cup.

The 20-year-old got his first tour win in this tournament last year when he upset Tommy Haas at the Los Angeles Tennis Center.

"This is a special place for me,'' Bogomolov said. "That's where I got all my confidence for tennis. I beat Tommy Haas and I knew I could play with anybody.''

Kenneth Carlsen, Jan Vacek and Eric Taino also earned first-round victories Monday in the $380,000 tournament that traditionally serves as the kickoff for the fall hardcourt season in the United States.

The final singles match of the night, between Jan-Michael Gambill and Michael Joyce, was suspended at 5-5 in the first set because of rain. It was to be completed Tuesday.

Bogomolov will join Alex Kim and Jeff Morrison on the U.S. team competing in the Pan American Games this month in the Dominican Republic.

In search of ranking points, Bogomolov has been playing mostly on the Challenger level this year and won consecutive titles at Leon, Mexico, and Forest Hills, N.Y., to climb from 169th to No. 122 in the rankings.

His win over the left-handed Mello was his first in four matches on the main tour this year.

"I think I did some good things and some average things that I need to improve on,'' Bogomolov said. "I think I moved well and I served pretty well. That was the key.''

He said he chose to play the Pan Am Games over a tour event because it's a chance to represent his country. His ultimate goal is an individual one, though.

"I've heard (Yevgeny) Kafelnikov and (Marcelo) Rios are going,'' Bogomolov said. "I don't care. I'm prepared to play whoever's there. I want a gold medal. It doesn't matter if there's nobody there or everybody in the top 10 is there. I'm going to go there and play my game.''

Carlsen outlasted wild card Bobby Reynolds 6-2, 4-6, 7-6 (3). Vacek eliminated Kevin Kim 2-6, 6-1, 6-4. Taino beat Hyung-Taik Lee 3-6, 7-6 (5), 6-2.