In a horrible case of tournament evils, Richard Gasquet and Carlos Moya faced off in a Monday night first-round matchup at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tournament. Both players were on hiatus from the tour last year for various reasons. They returned to the tour this year and are now trying to get back to their winning ways.

Moya, who won this tournament in 2002 and 2004, won the first set. Gasquet then rallied to beat the Spanish papa-to-be 4-6 6-3 6-2. The Frenchman will play the winner of the Sela-Almagro match in the second round.

Monday's Results
Singles First Round
Q Eduardo Schwank (ARG) def. WC Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) 7-6(4) 7-6(4)
Ricard Gasquet (FRA) def. WC Carlos Moya (ESP) 4-6 6-3 6-2
Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) def. Oscar Hernandez (ESP) 6-3 6-2



Doubles First Round
1 L. Kubot (POL)/O. Marach (AUT) def. I Andreev (RUS) / D Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-2 6-4
2 M. Melo (BRA)/B. Soares (BRA) def. J. Erlich (ISR)/A. Ram (ISR) 6-2 6-4
3 M. Damm (CZE)/F. Polasek (SVK) def. S. Huss (AUS)/J. Levinsky (CZE) 6-3 6-2
P. Cuevas (URU)/F. Gonzalez (CHI) def. V. Hanescu (ROU)/D. Sela (ISR) 7-6(3) 6-2

Tuesday’s Order of Play

(Image: Mextenis)

Last week’s champion in Brazil, Juan Carlos Ferrero had a routine win over Marcos Daniel. He bested the Brazilian 6-2 6-4 after 75 minutes of play in the second-round match. The former world no. one will meet qualifier Santiago Ventura, who upset seventh-seed Victor Hanescu today, in the quarterfinals.

The Spaniard is on course to meet either Carlos Moya or most likely Juan Monaco in the semifinals. Should Ferrero end up meeting Moya, it would be a battle of the former French Open champions and former world no.1s. It would be like the good ole days.

Preview:
City: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2009 Singles Champion: Tommy Robredo
2009 Doubles Champion: Marcel Granollers and Alberto Martin
Draws: Singles | Doubles

Wednesday’s Results
Singles Second Round
2 Juan Ferrero (ESP) def. Marcos Daniel (BRA) 6-2 6-4
5 Albert Montanes (ESP) def. Q Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-3 6-2
Q Santiago Ventura (ESP) def. 7 Victor Hanescu (ROU) 6-4 7-6(10)
David Nalbandian (ARG) def. Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) 6-7(5) 6-4 7-6(7)

Doubles First Round
1. P. Cuevas (URU)/M. Granollers (ESP) def. R. Gasquet (FRA)/M. Vassallo Arguello (ARG) 5-7 6-4 10-4
D. Koellerer (AUT)/O. Marach (AUT) def. 2 A. Sa (BRA)/H. Tecau (ROU) 6-1 6-4
D. Ferrer (ESP)/R. Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) def. 3 L. Friedl (CZE)/D. Skoch (CZE) 5-7 6-2 10-6
S. Greul (GER)/P. Luczak (AUS) def. F. Gil (POR)/E. Schwank (ARG) 6-4 6-1
N. Almagro (ESP)/S. Ventura (ESP) def. F. Fognini (ITA)/P. Starace (ITA) 5-7 6-2 10-3

Thursday’s Order of Play

(Image: Copa Telmex)

Frenchman Gael Monfils beat countryman Olivier Patience in straight sets. He will play Thomaz Bellucci in the second round.



Defending champion, Nicolas Almagro cruised to victory over Mexico's Santiago Gonzalez in straight sets. He will face Italian Potito Starace next.



Former World No. 1 Carlos Moya won his first round match against countryman Pablo Andujar while looking very serious. He will face Leonard Mayer of Argentina in the next round.

Tuesday’s Matches:
Singles Round of 32
Daniel Koellerer (AUT) def. 1 David Nalbandian (ARG) 6-4 6-2
2 Gael Monfils (FRA) def. Oliver Patience (FRA) 7-6(4) 6-4
3 Tommy Robredo (ESP) def. Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo (ESP) v6-4 3-6 6-3
4 Nicolas Almagro (ESP) def. Santiago Gonzalez (MEX) 6-4 6-2
5 Jose Acasuso (ARG) vs Brian Dabul (ARG) 6-3 7-5
7 Marcel Granollers (ESP) def. Fabio Fognini (ITA) 7-6(3) 7-5
8 Carlos Moya (ESP) def. Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-4 6-7 6-2
Kevin Kim (USA) def. Juan Monaco (ARG) 1-6 3-0 Ret'd
Alberto Martin (ESP) def. Marcos Daniel (BRA) 6-4 7-5

Doubles Round of 16
L. Arnold Ker (ARG)/N. Lapentti (ECU) def. J. Cerretani/I. Navarro (ESP) 7-6(3) 7-6(8)
Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)/P. Cuevas (URU) def. Oscar Hernandez (ESP) Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-3 6-1
P. Starace (ITA)/M. Vassallo Arguello (ARG) def. T. Bellucci (BRA) /D. Junqueira (ARG) 6-1 4-6 15-13

Wednesday's Order of Play

(Mexsport)

There were a lot of upsets today in Buenos Aires. Second-seed Nicolas Almagro, fourth-seed Carlos Moya, sixth-seed Albert Montanes and eighth-seed Eduardo Schwank lost today. Moya was trying to win his third title this year but was sent packing by Maximo Gonzalez of Argentina in straight sets.

Brazilian Open finalist, Thomaz Bellucci also lost to seventh-seed Marcel Granollers. Last week’s winner in Brazil, Tommy Robredo did manage to win after losing the first set. Robredo rallied in the next two sets to beat Potito Starace of Italy.


Copa Telmex

Juan Monaco of Argentina administered the beat down on countryman, Sergio Roitman. Monaco won every single game to double bagel Roitman in less than 60 minutes of work. He will play Martin Vassallo Arguello of Spain in the next round.

Singles Round of 32:
Oscar Hernandez (ESP) def. 2 Nicolas Almagro (ESP) 6-2 1-6 6-3
3 Tommy Robredo (ESP) def. Potito Starace (ITA) 5-7 6-3 6-3
Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) def. 4 Carlos Moya (ESP) 6-4 6-4
5 Jose Acasuso (ARG) def. Q Daniel Munoz-De La Nava (ESP) 6-2 7-6(4)
Martin Vassallo Arguello (ESP) def. 6 Albert Montanes (ESP) 6-2 6-3
7 Marcel Granollers (ESP) def. Thomaz Bellucci (BRA) 7-5 7-5
Q Pablo Cuevas (URU) def. 8 Eduardo Schwank 6-3 6-7(4) 6-0
Juan Monaco (ARG) def. wc Sergio Roitman (ARG) 6-0 6-0
Fabio Fognini (ITA) def. Pablo Andujar (ESP) 6-3 6-3
Diego Junqueira (ARG) def. Nicolas Massu (CHI) 3-6 6-4 6-4
Q Franco Ferreiro (BRA) def. Ivan Navarro Pastor (ESP) 1-6 6-4 6-2
Daniel Gimeno-Traver (ESP) def. wc Gaston Gaudio (ARG) 6-2 4-6 6-2

Doubles Round of 16:
M. Granollers (ESP)/A. Martin (ESP) def. D. Koellerer (AUT)/N. Massu (CHI) 6-3 6-4
A. Calleri (ARG)/P. Starace (ITA) vs. N. Devilder (FRA)/D. Junqueira (ARG) 6-1 7-5

City: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Surface: Outdoor Clay
Championship Points: 250
2008 Singles Champion: David Nalbandian
2008 Doubles Champions: Calleri/Horna


Copa Telmex

Defending champion, David Nalbandian of Argentina is seated number one. This tournament has the same cast of South American and Spanish players that do the South American clay circuit. Added to to the mix this week is Spaniard Carlos Moya and David Nalbandian. It should be interesting to see if Tommy Robredo and Thomaz Bellucci stay on their roll this week.

Tournament Draw
Singles / Doubles

Updated: Monday's Matches
Singles Round of 32:
1 David Nalbandian (ARG) vs. Nicolas Lapentti (ECU)
Brian Dabul (ARG) vs. Nicolas Devilder (FRA)
Antonio Martin (ESP) vs. wc Juan Ignacio Chela (ARG)
Juan Carlos Ferrero (ESP) vs. Agustin Calleri (ARG)

Doubles Round of 16:
1 F. Cermak (CZE) /M. Mertinak (SVK) vs. D. Gimeno-Traver (ESP) /I. Navarro (ESP)

Monday's Order of Play