Defending champion Agustin Calleri was hoping to see history repeat itself after beating local favourite Rainer Eitzinger in his opening match at the Austrian Open on Wednesday.

The Argentine sixth seed and world number 29, who was handed a bye into the second round, downed Eitzinger 6-3 7-6 in an echo of the start he made to last year's campaign.

On that occasion Calleri beat Eitzinger by a similar 7-6 6-3 scoreline before going on to lift only his second ATP title.

"I saw the score was like the same so I am thinking that's a good thing," said a grinning Calleri afterwards. "I am also staying in the same hotel and even the same room as last year."

During last year's Austrian Open, Calleri beat two of his compatriots, Gaston Gaudio and Juan Ignacio Chela, and he may need to repeat the feat this year because Argentine players make up nearly a fifth of the main draw.

He will face Argentine world number 88 Diego Hartfield in the third round, following Hartfield's second-round win on Wednesday over Spanish 12th seed Oscar Hernandez.

Three of the last four Austrian Opens have been won by Argentine players and eight of the country's nine representatives are still involved in this year's claycourt tournament.