Top seed David Ferrer and second-seeded Spanish compatriot Nicolas Almagro won through to the quarter-finals of the Mexican Open in contrasting styles on Wednesday.
Ferrer beat Poland’s Lukasz Kobot 6-3, 6-3, setting up a quarter-final against another Spaniard in Pablo Andujar, who upset fifth-seeded Florian Mayer of Germany 4-6, 7-5, 6-4.
Two-time champion Almagro had more of a struggle, coming from a set down to defeat Benoit Paire of France 3-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Photo: AFP
The second-seeded Spaniard lost serve twice to drop the first set, but settled and took control of the match to win in it in more than two hours at The Fairmont Acapulco Princess.
Almagro, who won the Mexican Open in 2008 and 2009 and was runner-up to Ferrer last year, will next meet Spanish compatriot Fernando Verdasco, who defeated Juan Ignacio Chela of Argentina 6-4, 6-2.
The No. 7 seed Marcel Granollers of Spain fell 6-4, 6-3 to Santiago Giraldo of Colombia. Giraldo will next face Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq, who was a 6-1, 6-4 winner over Italy’s Potito Starace.
In the women’s tournament, the three top-seeded Italians all progressed.
Top-seeded Roberta Vinci beat Stephanie Foretz Gacon of France 7-5, 6-4. She will next face Dutch player Michaella Krajicek, who edged Italy’s Alberta Brianti 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (2).
Second-seeded Italian Flavia Pennetta had to fight harder than forecast to see off Sweden’s Sofia Arvidsson 2-6, 7-6 (2), 6-1.
Pennetta’s quarter-final opponent will be qualifier Mariana Duque-Marino of Colombia, who upset sixth seed Johanna Larsson of Sweden 4-6, 6-1, 6-3.
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