Carlos Berlocq, Victor Hanescu move to the second round – Copa Claro 2012
Carlos Berlocq beats Pere Riba 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-0
World number 43 Carlos Berlocq made a quick recovery and overcame Spaniard Pere Riba in three sets 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-0 in the first round at the Copa Claro in Buenos Aires on Monday. Berlocq required two hours and 26 minutes
to post a win over his opponent.
The Argentinean made a stunning turnaround after dropping the first set. He did not lose even a single game in the next two, breaking Riba six times to come out victorious from the clay courts of Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis
Club.
Berlocq and Riba won each other’s serve twice in the first set to tie the score at 6-6, enforcing a breaker. The Spaniard claimed the last two points to win it 7-5.
Riba wasted three break opportunities in the opening game of the second set. After that, he could not stop Berlocq from making a clean sweep. The Argentinean captured six games in a row to win the set 6-0.
With the winning momentum swinging to his side, Berlocq continued to crush his opponent. The right-hander matched his second set’s performance and did not lose even one game in the decider, clinching it 6-0.
Berlocq will feature against either third seed Gilles Simon or unseeded Rui Machado in the second round.
Victor Hanescu ousts Pablo Andujar 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4)
World number 93, Victor Hanescu of Romania, upset the world number 48, Pablo Andujar, in three sets 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) to proceed to the second round of the tournament. The marathon contest lasted for two hours and 37 minutes.
Hanescu made the initial breakthrough in the sixth game and consolidated on it to claim the opener 6-3.
Andujar and Hanescu did not lose their serve in the first nine games of the second set, taking the score to 5-4 in the Spaniard’s favour. Andujar converted the first break point he received, grabbing it 6-4.
The two players exchanged a break of serve in the decider to level the score at 6-6. Hanescu earned a late mini-break in the tie-break and clinched it 7-4.
The Romanian struck two aces and delivered 68 percent of the first serves, converting a total of 53 of the 79 of them into points. Andujar hit a single ace but he committed three double faults as well.
Hanescu is drawn to take on fourth seed Kei Nishikori in the round of 16.
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