2011 Movistar Open, Thomaz Bellucci reaches quarterfinal round
Defending champion, Thomaz Bellucci, made his way into the quarterfinal of the 2011 Movistar Open on Wednesday after he successfully dismissed Portuguese Rui Machado in a three set battle.
Ranked 31st in the world, Bellucci is playing at his second ATP event of the year. The number one Brazilian started his 2011 run playing at the Heineken Open in Auckland where he made it all the way to quarterfinals before losing to Santiago Giraldo.
Seeded third here, Bellucci returns to the event to defend his title. Having enjoyed a successful final run here in 2010, Bellucci clinched his second career title here after successfully defeating Juan Monaco.
Playing their first tour level match, Bellucci survived an early battle and a mid match lapse against Machado to ensure his survival at the event.
A hard fought neck to neck run in the first set saw the score tied for most of the games. Although Machado managed to save three of four break points, Bellucci’s eighty percent winning percentage on first serve dominated the score board and came through
for the defending champion as he clinched a close 7-5 victory going one up in the set score.
However, Bellucci’s form in the second set came crashing down as he was held to only six points on his service by the Portuguese. Saving one break point and converting two opportunities, Machado was able to secure a breadstick win for himself in the second
set levelling the set score.
With one set each, Bellucci looked in danger coming into the decider. However, the Brazilian returned to his full form and reversing the score, held Machado to seven points, as he clinched a fry for himself.
The score line for the match was 7-5, 1-6, 6-1. Bellucci took almost two hours, striking three aces and losing 25 of 75 points on service to make it into the quarterfinals.
A delighted Bellucci told the press, “I am very happy, it’s always good to win two matches in a row at a tournament. It wasn’t as easy as my first match but I think I still played well and did what I had to do to win today. What counts is the result”.
Playing Bellucci in the quarterfinals will be the seventh seeded Italian, Fabio Fognini. Accustomed to the surface here, Fognini won the ATP Challenger event, Copa Petrobras Santiago, in 2010.
Although a winner of multiple Challenger events, a tour level title still eludes Fognini. Hoping things change at the event here, Fognini, equalled his career best at the event after he survived a gruelling three setter against Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
In their first ever meeting on the tour, Fognini bounced back from being one set down to prevail 3-6, 7-5, 6-4. In a match that lasted almost three hours, Fognini saved 11 of 15 break points and lost only 45 of 106 points on service to move into the quarterfinals.
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