Buenos Aires, Feb 10 (IANS) Argentine seventh seed Tomas Etcheverry progressed to the Argentina Open round of 16 with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Italian qualifier Andrea Pellegrino.
The Argentine, competing in the main draw in Buenos Aires for the fifth consecutive time, won 85 percent of points on his first serve and hit seven aces to take the match in an hour and 39 minutes on the outdoor clay of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.
World No. 145 Pellegrino struggled for rhythm on his serve and committed 22 unforced errors.
"It was an incredible match. Playing here in Buenos Aires in front of my people is super special," he said. "I have a different energy when I play here and I'm super happy to get the first victory. I am looking forward for a long week here.
The two-time quarter-finalist will next face Laslo Djere or fellow Argentine Roman Andres Burruchaga.
In other action on the opening day of the tournament, 2025 semi-finalist Pedro Martinez cruised past Argentine qualifier Lautaro Midon 6-4, 6-1, earning his 50th tour-level clay-court win. The Spaniard saved 80 per cent (4/5) of the break points he faced.
In another match, Hugo Dellien set a second-round clash with top seed Francisco Cerundolo after defeating Damir Dzumhur 6-4, 6-1. The victory marked Dellien's first tour-level win since defeating Thiago Seyboth Wild at the Masters 1000 event in Rome last May.
In the final match of the day, Vit Kopriva held his nerve to outlast Buenos Aires native Alex Barrena 6-4, 3-6, 6-4, who was making his ATP Tour debut.
Elsewhere, Ugo Humbert delivered a clutch deciding-set performance on Monday to earn his maiden win at the Rotterdam Open, where he upset former champion Daniil Medvedev 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-3.
Humbert is chasing his eighth ATP Tour title this week and his fifth on indoor hard courts. The former No. 13 player in the PIF ATP Rankings will next face Dutch wild card Guy Den Ouden or Marton Fucsovics as he looks to build momentum at the ATP 500 event.
Earlier on Day 1 in Rotterdam, Cameron Norrie produced a clinical display to defeat Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(3), 6-1, setting up a second-round clash with qualifier Christopher O’Connell. The Australian saved one match point to defeat Frenchman Valentin Royer 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(4).
--IANS
bc/
