Nicolas Almagro digs deep to oust Pere Riba in round one - Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2012
Two times champion, Nicolas Almagro went the distance to overpower his compatriot, Pere Riba, at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel 2012 on Tuesday. He joggled up a 6-2, 3-6, 6-2 victory over the world number 92 to advance into the second round at this ATP (Association of Tennis Professionals) World Tour 500 series event taking place in Acapulco, Mexico.
The world number 12 stayed on track to bid for his 12th career title after rallying past Riba in their first outing. Almagro not only edged in the FedEx ATP Head 2 Head record against his fellow citizen but also booked a place in the round of 16 at the Fairmont Acapulco Princess.
The second seed assertively stepped on the Mexican clay courts and kept his opening serve. After Riba held his second serve, the high ranked Spaniard unleashed barrage of groundstrokes to strike out the proceeding five games in a row. Almagro warded off both breakpoints he faced and capitalised on two out of four break opportunities to register a 6-2 score line.
Riba turned the tables in the second set and wiped out the opening three games successively before Almagro could hold on. He then held his nerves and kept remaining serves without facing any breakpoint, consequently sealing the equaliser by winning six games to three.
The match was standing at a knife edge but the 26-year-old re-gathered his form to steal the show. He got the coveted break in the fourth game and cruised to a 4-1 lead. Later, the winning Spaniard held remaining serves and after cashing in another break opportunity in the last game, he pocketed the decider with a 6-2 score line.
Up next for the last year’s runner up is the French contender, Benoit Paire, who edged past the Colombian qualifier, Juan Sebastian Cabal, in straight sets to secure this spot.
Eighth seeded Spaniard, Fernando Verdasco, followed the footsteps of Almagro and breezed into the round of 16. He converted six out of 11 break chances to his advantage, ultimately pocketing a bagel.
Verdasco will square off against the Argentinean rising star Juan Ignacio Chela. The Argentinean slaughtered the local wild card entrant, Cesar Ramirez, in straight sets to reach this spot.
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