Estoril Open: Day 3

Former Estoril champion Nikolay Davydenko took out the 2001 Estoril champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5 6-2. The Spaniard put up a fight in the first set, but the Russian was able to subdue his opponent in the second set. Davydenko will play sixth-seed Mardy Fish, who has managed to string together two-match wins on clay, in the quarterfinals. The two players are 1-1 in their head-to-head matchup.

On the other side of the draw, third-seed David Ferrer was upset in pretty convincing fashion by compatriot Oscar Hernandez 2-6 4-6. After being a finalist in Barcelona two weeks ago, Ferrer has had some puzzling exits in Rome (first round loss) and now Estoril (second round loss) to follow-up that good showing. Hernandez advances to the quarterfinals to play Paul Capdeville, who beat Maximo Gonzalez in three sets after upsetting David Nalbandian in the first round.

With the upsets of Ferrer and Nalbandian, the top-half draw is now open up for top-seed Gilles Simon. Whether Simon will take advantage of the situation is another story. He first needs to pass Fabio Fognini, who beat former French Open champion Gaston Gaudio in straight sets to secure his spot against the Frenchman. Simon did get the best of Fognini in their only meeting last week in Rome in the second round.

Wednesday’s Results
Singles First Round
4 James Blake (USA) def. Frederico Gil (POR) 6-3 6-4
Fabio Fognini (ITA) def. WC Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 6-3 6-4

Singles Second Round
2 Nikolay Davydenko (RUS) def. Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) 7-5 6-2
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. 3 David Ferrer (ESP) 6-2 6-4
6 Mardy Fish (USA) def. Ivan Navarro (ESP) 2-6 6-1 6-4
Paul Capdeville (CHI) def. Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) 2-6 6-2 6-3

Doubles First Round
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) def. 1 B. Soares (BRA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) 7-5 6-3
2 P. Cuevas (URU)/D. Vemic (SRB) def. M. Gonzalez (ARG)/J. Monaco (ARG) 6-3 6-4
L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) def. WC P. Sousa (POR)/J. Sousa (POR) 6-0 6-0
W. Moodie (RSA)/D. Norman (BEL) def. M. Gicquel (FRA)/F. Serra (FRA) 6-2 6-2

Thursday’s Matches
Singles Second Round
1 WC Gilles Simon (FRA) vs. Fabio Fognini (ITA)
4 James Blake (USA) vs. Marc Gicquel (FRA)
7 Albert Montanes (ESP) vs. Simon Greul (GER)
8 Florent Serra (FRA) vs. Juan Monaco (ARG)

Doubles Quarterfinals
2 P Cuevas (URU) / D Vemic (SRB) vs. W Moodie (RSA) / D Norman (BEL)
3 F. Cermak (CZE)/M. Mertinak (SVK) vs. J. Blake (USA)/R. Kendrick (USA)
4 M. Damm (CZE)/R. Lindstedt (SWE) vs. L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE)
E. Butorac (USA)/S. Lipsky (USA) vs. M. Fish (USA)/D. Martin (USA)

Thursday’s Order of Play

(Image: Francisco Leong/AFP/Getty Images)