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Defending Movistar champion Horna defeated by Berlocq

Defending champion Luis Horna was eliminated by Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 7-6 (3), 3-6, 7-6 (3) in a three hour, second round marathon at the Movistar Open on Thursday.

The Peruvian was a break up in the first and third sets but Berlocq came back each time to force tiebreakers, in both of which he cruised.

Berlocq said the match was "a very, very difficult one but luckily I managed to win."

Horna served for the first set at 5-4 but lost the game and broke for 2-1 in the final set only for Berlocq to tie it at 3-3.

"I played poorly, that's all," said Horna, who added he felt no pressure as defending champ. "All that story about defending a title is something you journalists create. Last year was one thing, this year is another year. [Roger] Federer is the only one defending a title every week."

He complained about what he called some bad calls against him during the match.

"It looks like some umpires want to gain some prominence, to be on television," he said.

Berlocq's second successive quarter-final in Vina del Mar will be against top-seeded Fernando Gonzalez, who defeated Diego Hartfield of Argentina 6-3, 6-4.

Gonzalez was on course to win his third Movistar Open after victories in 2002 and 2004 on his home court.

"I am feeling better and better every day so it's very good to be able to keep playing here," Gonzalez said. "I may have some advantage because Berlocq had to play for over three hours today."

Italy's Fabio Fognini reached his first ATP quarter-finals by beating Spanish qualifier David Marrero 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-3.

Fognini, who had eliminated second-seeded Juan Ignacio Chela in the first round, will meet another Spaniard next, Santiago Ventura.

Ventura squandered a 5-1 lead in the third set and three match points before putting away last year's quarter-finalist Sergio Roitman of Argentina 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (4).
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