Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo, Frederico Gil advance to the second round of Grand Prix Hassan II
Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo defeats Rui MacHado 7-5, 6-1
World number 103 Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain ousted Portuguese Rui MacHado, ranked 99th in the world, in straight sets 7-5, 6-1 in the opening round at the Grand Prix Hassan II in Casablanca on Tuesday. The Spaniard
took one hour and 33 minutes to undo his opponent.
None of the two players managed to break other’s serve in the first ten games of the opening set, levelling the score at 5-5. Ramirez Hidalgo broke his opponent in the 12th game, clinching the opening set 7-5.
The Spaniard delivered a single ace and 53 per cent of the first serves in the first set. He won 68 per cent of the points on his first serves in the opening set. On the other hand, Rui MacHado to hit just 42 per cent of the first
serves in the opening set, winning 71 per cent of the points on them.
Ramirez Hidalgo thrashed his opponent in the second set, breaking him three times to win the set 6-1. The Spaniard fired in 57 per cent of the first serves and converted 58 per cent of them into points in the second set. The 33-year-old
won three of the five break points he received in the second set.
The Spaniard will meet Italian Potito Starace, seeded fifth at the championship, in the second round. The Italian defeated Daniel Brands of Germany in straight sets 7-5, 6-2 in the first round.
Frederico Gil beats Simone Bolelli 6-3, 6-1
In another opening round match, Portuguese Frederico Gil, ranked 83rd in the world cruised past world number 114 Simone Bolelli in straight sets. Gil allowed his opponent to win just four games, winning the first round
match 6-3, 6-1. It took Gil just one hour and eleven minutes to beat his opponent in a one sided contest.
The Portuguese broke his opponent once in the first set, winning it 6-3. He fired in a couple of aces and did not commit any double fault. Gil hit 46 per cent of the first serves, winning 83 per cent of the points on them in the
opening set. The 26-year-old did not face any break point in the first set.
Gil was almost flawless in the second set, as he allowed Bolelli to win just a single game and claimed the set 6-1. The Portuguese capitalized on three of the four break point opportunities he received in the set. On the other
hand, Bolelli did not receive any break point in the second set.
The Portuguese is drawn to face third seed Gilles Simon of France in the second round.
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