Spanish Advance, Jamaican Surprise In Johannesburg

Third-seed Feliciano Lopez beat Blaz Kavcic 6-2 7-6(4) in their second-round matchup. The world no. 39 is starting his year out much better than last year. This year he is 4-2. Last year he hadn’t won a match until mid-February. Next up for the Spaniard is American Rajeev Ram. The two players have never met in ATP competition.

Jamaican sensation Dustin Brown, who lives in Germany, is having a good run in Johannesburg. The world no. 141 upset fourth-seed Marco Chiudinelli yesterday and then beat Frenchman Laurent Recouderc 6-4 6-4. The 25 year old will meet another Frenchman Stephane Robert in the next round. Should he surpass the world no. 100 in the quarterfinals, the Jamaican could face second-seed David Ferrer in the semifinals.

Singles Second Round
3 Feliciano Lopez (ESP) def. Blaz Kavcic (SLO) 6-2 7-6(4)
5 Rajeev Ram (USA) def. Bjorn Phau (GER) 7-6(10) 7-6(2)
8 Stephane Robert (FRA) def. WC Izak Van Der Merwe (RSA) 7-6(7) 6-1
Dustin Brown (JAM) def. Laurent Recouderc (FRA) 6-4 6-4

Doubles First Round
S. Darcis (BEL)/X. Malisse (BEL) def. 1 W. Moodie (RSA)/K. Ullyett (ZIM) 7-6(2) 7-6(3)
4 J. Coetzee (RSA)/R. Wassen (NED) vs [WC] R. Klaasen (RSA)/I. Van Der Merwe (RSA)
R. Bopanna (IND)/A. Qureshi (PAK) def. Y. Allegro (SUI)/M. Chiudinelli (SUI) 4-6 6-3 10-5
K. Beck (SVK)/H. Levy (ISR) def. T. Bednarek (POL)/M. Kowalczyk (POL) 5-7 6-4 10-7
S. Ratiwatana (THA)/S. Ratiwatana (THA) def. L. Recouderc (FRA)/S. Robert (FRA) 6-2 6-2

Thursday’s Order of Play

(Images: William West/AFP/Getty Images, Reg Caldecott)