BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 11 (Xinhua) -- Local favorite and top seed Francisco Cerundolo advanced to the Argentina Open quarterfinals with a 6-0, 7-6 (6) victory over Bolivia's Hugo Dellien on Wednesday.
World No. 19 Cerundolo powered through the opening set and saved eight set points in the second to take the match in an hour and 24 minutes on the outdoor clay of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.
"I was happy with how things went early but then he started playing aggressively and it became difficult," the 27-year-old said. "I saved a few set points and I'm just happy to get through."
Cerundolo admitted he had lacked sharpness in his first match on clay since July last year.
"I've been practicing well but my lack of games on this surface showed," he said. "I served well but missed some shots that I would normally make. I feel like I'm going to get better with every match."
Cerundolo will meet the Czech Republic's Vit Kopriva in the next round of the ATP 250 event. The latter advanced by overcoming Italian eighth seed Matteo Berrettini 6-4, 6-3 earlier in the day.
In other matches on Wednesday, Tomas Etcheverry beat fellow Argentine Roman Burruchaga 7-6 (5), 6-7 (3), 6-4 and Chile's Alejandro Tabilo shocked Brazilian third seed Joao Fonseca 6-3, 3-6, 7-5. ■
