BCR OPEN ROMANIA
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Moya, Simon Prevail As Almagro And Mathieu Fall
Spanish sixth seed and former finalist Carlos Moya (pictured) made smooth progress at the BCR Open Romania in Bucharest on Wednesday, securing his place in the quarterfinals with a 6-3, 7-6(6) victory over compatriot and qualifier Pablo Andujar.
The 32-year-old Moya finished runner-up to Alberto Berasategui on his event debut in 1999 and was also a quarterfinalist (l. to Volandri) on his third and most recent appearance in 2006.
The former World No. 1, who is currently ranked No. 61, is through to his sixth ATP quarterfinal of the season. He was a finalist in Costa do Sauipe (l. to Almagro), reached the semifinals in Chennai (l. to Nadal), and made quarterfinal exits at Umag (l. to Fognini) and ATP Masters Series events in Hamburg (l. to Nadal) and Cincinnati (l. to Murray).
In the quarterfinals he will face his third consecutive Spanish opponent, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who converted two of four break points as he surprised No. 3 seed Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-5. The 23-year-old Almagro, who is in 12th position in the ATP 2008 Race to Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai, titled at Costa do Sauipe (d. Moya) and Acapulco (d. Nalbandian) earlier in the season; he slips to a 35-15 match record.
World No. 64 Garcia-Lopez is through to contest his fourth ATP quarterfinal of the season and has a 2-1 record. He lost in Chennai (l. to Nadal) but went on to reach the semifinals at San Jose (l. to Roddick) and Gstaad (l. to Andreev).
The 25-year-old Garcia-Lopez also made a quarterfinal appearance in Bucharest in 2006, falling to Paul-Henri Mathieu. However, his victor on that occasion could not progress on Wednesday. Mathieu, the fourth seed this week, lost first round to Spaniard Ivan Navarro 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.
In a match that had been postponed on Tuesday due to bad light, Navarro fired 14 aces and converted three of five break points to defeat the Frenchman in 2 hr., 35 min. The Alicante resident had won just five ATP matches this season coming into Bucharest, two of those at Newport, where he lost to Fabrice Santoro in the quarterfinals. He next will face Denis Gremelmayr.
Elsewhere, second seed and defending champion Gilles Simon was rarely troubled in a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 second round victory over Spaniard Albert Montanes. The Frenchman fired eight aces and converted two of 10 break point chances to secure his quarterfinal berth in 1 hr., 33 min.
The 23-year-old Simon, who captured the title last year with victory over home favorite Victor Hanescu, is enjoying a career-best season in 2008. Standing at 37-20 for the season, the Nice native won his third and fourth ATP titles at Casablanca (d. Benneteau) and Indianapolis (d. Tursunov) and was a semifinalist at Masters Series Canada (d. Federer, l. to Kiefer). He reached a career-high South African Airways ATP Ranking of No. 13 on August 4.
In the quarterfinals he will face Florent Serra of France, who booked his quarterfinal spot with a 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 victory over Potito Starace. The right-handed Bordeaux native captured his maiden ATP title at Bucharest in 2005 (d. Andreev) and was also a semifinalist in 2006 (l. to Volandri).
Serra, who is ranked No.69, was a semifinalist on clay in Estoril in April (l. to Davydenko) and made quarterfinal exits at Chennai (l. to Moya) and Los Angeles (l. to Fish).
The 32-year-old Moya finished runner-up to Alberto Berasategui on his event debut in 1999 and was also a quarterfinalist (l. to Volandri) on his third and most recent appearance in 2006.
The former World No. 1, who is currently ranked No. 61, is through to his sixth ATP quarterfinal of the season. He was a finalist in Costa do Sauipe (l. to Almagro), reached the semifinals in Chennai (l. to Nadal), and made quarterfinal exits at Umag (l. to Fognini) and ATP Masters Series events in Hamburg (l. to Nadal) and Cincinnati (l. to Murray).
In the quarterfinals he will face his third consecutive Spanish opponent, Guillermo Garcia-Lopez, who converted two of four break points as he surprised No. 3 seed Nicolas Almagro 6-4, 7-5. The 23-year-old Almagro, who is in 12th position in the ATP 2008 Race to Tennis Masters Cup Shanghai, titled at Costa do Sauipe (d. Moya) and Acapulco (d. Nalbandian) earlier in the season; he slips to a 35-15 match record.
World No. 64 Garcia-Lopez is through to contest his fourth ATP quarterfinal of the season and has a 2-1 record. He lost in Chennai (l. to Nadal) but went on to reach the semifinals at San Jose (l. to Roddick) and Gstaad (l. to Andreev).
The 25-year-old Garcia-Lopez also made a quarterfinal appearance in Bucharest in 2006, falling to Paul-Henri Mathieu. However, his victor on that occasion could not progress on Wednesday. Mathieu, the fourth seed this week, lost first round to Spaniard Ivan Navarro 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-3.
In a match that had been postponed on Tuesday due to bad light, Navarro fired 14 aces and converted three of five break points to defeat the Frenchman in 2 hr., 35 min. The Alicante resident had won just five ATP matches this season coming into Bucharest, two of those at Newport, where he lost to Fabrice Santoro in the quarterfinals. He next will face Denis Gremelmayr.
Elsewhere, second seed and defending champion Gilles Simon was rarely troubled in a comfortable 6-3, 6-4 second round victory over Spaniard Albert Montanes. The Frenchman fired eight aces and converted two of 10 break point chances to secure his quarterfinal berth in 1 hr., 33 min.
The 23-year-old Simon, who captured the title last year with victory over home favorite Victor Hanescu, is enjoying a career-best season in 2008. Standing at 37-20 for the season, the Nice native won his third and fourth ATP titles at Casablanca (d. Benneteau) and Indianapolis (d. Tursunov) and was a semifinalist at Masters Series Canada (d. Federer, l. to Kiefer). He reached a career-high South African Airways ATP Ranking of No. 13 on August 4.
In the quarterfinals he will face Florent Serra of France, who booked his quarterfinal spot with a 7-5, 0-6, 6-4 victory over Potito Starace. The right-handed Bordeaux native captured his maiden ATP title at Bucharest in 2005 (d. Andreev) and was also a semifinalist in 2006 (l. to Volandri).
Serra, who is ranked No.69, was a semifinalist on clay in Estoril in April (l. to Davydenko) and made quarterfinal exits at Chennai (l. to Moya) and Los Angeles (l. to Fish).
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