Kevin Anderson, Albert Montanes win their first round matches at Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
Kevin Anderson defeats Pablo Cuevas 7-5, 3-6, 6-4
South African Kevin Anderson, seeded 14th at the championship, battled past world number 62 Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay in three thrilling sets 7-5, 3-6, 6-4 to qualify for the second round at the Barcelona Open Banc Sabadell
on Monday. It took Anderson two hours and 19 minutes to undo his opponent in a tough contest.
The 24-year-old broke his opponent in the 11th game of the first set, winning it 7-5. The South African hit three aces and one double fault in the opening set. Anderson converted one of the four break points he received
in the first set. On the other hand, Cuevas failed to capitalize on any of the two break point opportunities he received in the opening set.
The Uruguayan staged a comeback in the second set as he broke Anderson twice, claiming the set 6-3. Cuevas delivered a couple of aces and did not commit any double fault in the second set.
In the final set, Anderson regained his form and broke Cuevas once to win the set 6-4. The South African converted one of the six break points he received in the third set.
Anderson will meet Romanian Victor Hanescu, ranked 66th in the world, in the round of 32. Hanescu defeated Andrey Golubev of Kazakhstan in straight sets 6-3, 6-2 in the first round.
Albert Montanes beats Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-2, 6-2
World number 27 Albert Montanes of Spain cruised past Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili, ranked 80th in the world, in straight sets in the opening round at Barcelona. The Spaniard lost just four games in a one sided contest,
winning the match 6-2, 6-2 in one hour and 47 minutes.
Montanes broke Gabashvili three times in the opening set, winning it 6-2. The right-handed fired three aces and committed two double faults in the first set. The Spaniard delivered 61 percent of the first serves, winning 67 percent
of the points on them in the opening set. The 30-year-old amazingly saved nine of the ten break points he faced in the first set. In comparison, Gabashvili managed to save just two of the five break points in the opening set.
The Spaniard carried the winning momentum into the second set, breaking his opponent in the fourth and sixth game to win the set 6-2.
Montanes hit a single ace and 65 percent of the first serves in the second set. The Spaniard converted a whopping 80 percent of his first serves into points in the second set. Montanes did not face even a single break point in
the second set.
The Spaniard is drawn to face world number 121 Benoit Paire of France in the second round.
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