Berlocq overcomes Riba
02/22/2012 02:20:00 AM
Local hope Carlos Berlocq survived an early scare from Pere Riba at the Copa Claro in Argentina before winning in three sets on Monday.
Berlocq, the world number 58, lost the first set against the Spaniard 7-5 in a tie-breaker but cruised through the next two to wrap up a 6-7 (5-7) 6-0 6-0 victory at the ATP 250 event on clay.
Berlocq will play either Portugal's Rui Machado or Frenchman Gilles Simon - the third seed - in the second round.
Also on Monday, Chile's Fernando Gonzalez moved into the second round when Spaniard Albert Montanes was forced to pull out with injury after losing the first set 7-5 and trailing 1-0 in the second.
Romanian Victor Hanescu was forced to dig deep to overcome Spain's Pablo Andujar, winning 6-3 4-6 7-6 (7-4), and he will next play Japanese fourth seed Kei Nishikori, who defeated former world number one Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5 3-6 6-2.
And Argentine Facundo Bagnis defeated his compatriot Leonardo Mayer 5-7 6-4 6-2.