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Defending champion Marin Cilic has advanced to the second round at Queen's Club in London with victory over Chile's Cristian Garin.

Defending champion Marin Cilic has edged his way into the second round at Queen's Club in London with a a 6-1 7-6 (7-5) win over Chile's Cristian Garin.

The Croatian world No.15 is bidding for his third title at the pre-Wimbledon tune-up event after beating world No.1 Novak Djokovic in the decider last year.

Cilic raced into a 5-0 lead after just 15 minutes on Monday, with Garin finally managing to win a game before the 30-year-old wrapped up the set with a stinging serve.

The 2017 Wimbledon finalist claimed an early break in the second set and it looked like the match was going to end within an hour.

However, the Chilean world No.32 hit back with both players breaking one other's serve twice before Garin squandered a 4-0 advantage in the tiebreak allowing Cilic to advance to round two.

Cilic will next meet Argentina's Diego Schwartzman after he defeated Kazakh qualifier Alexander Bublik 6-2 6-3.

Russia's Daniil Medvedev also advanced with a comfortable 6-2 6-4 win over Spain's Fernando Verdasco.

Last year's Wimbledon finalist Kevin Anderson, back in action after being sidelined for three months with tennis elbow, recovered from a set down to beat Britain's Cameron Norrie 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4.

Veteran Frenchman Nicolas Mahut shocked exciting young American Francis Tiafoe 6-3 7-6 (7-5).

Australian No.1 Alex de Minaur faces Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene on Tuesday with Nick Kyrgios in action against France's Adrian Mannarino.