Two-time defending champion David Ferrer of Spain defeated local favourite Santiago Gonzalez 6-1 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Mexican Open tennis tournament.
Top-seeded Ferrer, trying to win his third title of the season, needed just over an hour to eliminate the Mexican player at The Fairmont Acapulco Princess. The world No.6 Spaniard saved all five break points he allowed to Gonzalez, and converted on four of his seven opportunities.
Ferrer won the Copa Claro event last week in Argentina, and had already taken the Auckland title in January.
Also on Tuesday, No.3 seed Gilles Simon of France lost 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 to Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq. It was the second consecutive tournament that Berlocq eliminated Simon after the Frenchman had lost in the second round of the Copa Claro.
“I played a great match and I’m happy with my performance today,” Berlocq said. “Last week, I had played a perfect match against him. Today, it was tougher because of the heat, which was incredible.”
In Brazil three weeks ago, Simon lost to Argentine David Nalbandian, also in the second round.
Sixth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina retired with heat exhaustion while trailing 6-7 (2-7) 3-5 to Spain’s Albert Ramos. Albert Montanes of Spain also had to retire in his match against No.4 seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, who was leading 6-2 4-1.
In the women’s side, top-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy had eight aces in her 6-2 7-6 (7-5) victory over Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain.
Fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta, the No.2 seed, ousted Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 6-4 6-2, while third-seeded Sara Errani, also of Italy, trounced American Irina Falconi 6-1 6-1.