2010 Valencia Open 500: Thursday Singles Review
As opposed to the ousting of top seed Brit Andy Murray on Wednesday, the seeds performed exceptionally well in their second round matches on Thursday. The round of sixteen wrapped up on Thursday with the remaining five matches
completed.
Sixth seeded Russian Nikolay Davydenko started the day’s play as he played against Argentinean Juan Ignacio Chela. Ignacio took the lead in the first set, but Davydenko soon caught up. The two went at it neck to neck, levelling
the set score at 6-6. As the set entered the tiebreaker, Davydenko demonstrated his superior tennis skills. With excellent serves and perfect returns, the Russian won seven consecutive points winning the tiebreaker 7-0. Losing the tiebreaker miserably must
have shattered Ignacio’s confidence as he performed poorly in the second set committing two double faults. Davydenko took advantage of Ignacio’s mess up and mixing that with the two aces he served in the set, Davydenko enjoyed a comfortable win of 6-2 in the
second set. Davydenko goes on to face French Gilles Simon in the quarterfinals. Simon took the credit of ousting local favourite, Fernando Verdasco in their second round match.
Second seed Swede Robin Soderling was the second professional of the day to move into the quarterfinals; joining Davydenko, Simon, and Juan Monaco. Soderling dismissed the Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver in one hour. Even though
Gimeno enjoyed the home court advantage, Soderling proved his prowess enjoying a straight set win over the local. He served five aces and lost only eight points on service to humble Gimeno in a 2-6, 3-6 defeat.
2010's Montpellier titlist, eighth seed French Gael Monfils took one-step closer at a consecutive title win for the season. Monfils went pass local Stanislas Wawrinka to secure a spot for himself in the quarterfinals. Wawrinka
tried to keep up with Monfils in the first set, keeping the set score levelled at 2-2; however, Monfils won the next four sets consecutively to win the set 6-2. Wawrinka again tried to keep up with Monfils in the second set until 5-4; however, serving for
the eighteenth game Monfils managed to win the game, losing only one point to Wawrinka. He won the set 6-4. Monfils next faces Soderling in the quarterfinal round.
The 2008 Valencia champion, local David Ferrer is still going strong in his run to regain the title. Seeded fourth in the tournament, Ferrer is one of the only two remaining Spaniards in the tournament - there were eleven Spaniards
in the main draw. Ferrer met Russian qualifier Teymuraz Gabashvili for their round of sixteen match. Capitalising on the home court advantage, Ferrer dismissed Gabashvili in one hour and ten minutes. Gabashvili resisted defeat in the first set, but ultimately
succumbed to Ferrer’s talent, losing the set 4-6. Ferrer enjoyed a breadstick (6-1) win in the second set, cruising past the Russian into the quarterfinals.
Italian Potito Starace and Uruguayan qualifier Pablo Cuevas played the only three setter of the day. Losing the first set in tiebreak, 7-6(2), Cuevas broke back in the second round winning it 6-2. However, Starace reversed the
score in the decider winning it 6-2 and in effect the match. Starace goes on to face Ferrer in the quarterfinal round.
The last professional to move into the quarterfinals was the lucky loser Spaniard Marcel Granollers. Granollers gained entry into the main draw after seventh seed French Jo-Wilfried Tsonga pulled out of the tournament with a left
knee injury. Granollers faced compatriot and wild card entry Pablo Andujar in the last second round match of the day. In a match that lasted one hour and sixteen minutes, Granollers defeated Andujar by a twin set score of 6-2, 6-2. Granollers moves on to face
Argentinean Juan Monaco in the quarterfinal. This will probably be the Spaniards most difficult match of the event, since in-form Monaco is responsible for ousting defending champion Murray from the event.
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