Stanislas Wawrinka has seen off Carlos Berlocq in a battling 5-7 6-3 6-3 victory in the first round of the Rome Masters.

The two competitors were evenly matched in the early stages of the first set with games going by the way of serve, but it took Berlocq to secure a crucial break point to win his service game and take a one-set lead.

Following the early blow, Wawrinka responded in the second set with strong serves and well-executed forehands to move on top by breaking his opponent.

After drawing level on sets, Wawrinka continued his dominance on the court by winning an early break and taking a substantial lead in the set, but Berlocq tried to launch a late fightback.

Despite his attempts, the Argentine was unable to cause an upset as the 15th seed secured a place in the next round.