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)

Brazil had its first singles champion after Gustavo “Guga” Kuerten hit the scene in the 90s and early 00s. Guga eventually went on to win 3 grand slams and 17 ATP titles to the delight of his fans and countrymen. His career was cut short by an unfortunate hip injury, and his retirement left a huge hole in Brazilian tennis that is quite unfortunate when you think about it.

This week Brazilians Thomaz Bellucci and Marcos Daniel made fairytale runs in Gstaad by both advancing into the semifinals. The reality with most fairytale runs is that they are usually never fully realized. Bellucci had a similar run at the Brazilian Open earlier this year, but Tommy Robredo denied him from his first title.

Today, the world no. 119, this time, took his fairy tale run to the end by winning his first title of his career. The 21 year old beat Andreas Beck 6-4 7-6(2) after 100 minutes of play. He is the first Brazilian to win an ATP title in 7 years since Guga won the Brazilian Open in 2002. Let’s hope the Brazilian up-and-comer can become another Brazilian force on the tour.

(Images: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Qualifier Thomaz Bellucci will meet Andreas Beck in the final of the Swiss Open. Bellucci upset the third-seed Igor Andreev 6-4 7-5. This will be his second ATP final appearance of this year. His victory caps a strong Brazilian presence at the tournament this week, as he and Marcos Daniel made it to the semifinals. Bellucci’s compatriot did not fair as well, as Andreas Beck of Germany downed Daniel 7-6(3) 6-3 to book the last spot in the Swiss final.

Beck represents a new hopeful for German tennis after Michael Stich and Boris Becker retired and Tommy Haas and Nicolas Kiefer are now veterans on the tour. The 23 year old is starting to transition out of the challenger circuit to the professional circuit. This year, he is beginning to play well in ATP tournaments. Beck started to make an impression on tour when he wrecked havoc, as a qualifier, in Monaco this spring by taking out Nicolas Kiefer, Gilles Simon and Juan Monaco.

Now, Beck and Bellucci will play for their first ATP title of their careers. Should Bellucci win the title tomorrow, he will be the first Brazilian to win an ATP title since the great Gustavo Kuerten won the Brazil Open in 2002.

Both players have never met in ATP competition. Bellucci did beat the German their only meeting in a Challengers event in Tunisia last year, but I am sure a lot has changed since then. Beck is starting to ratchet up his game, so tomorrow’s final should be a good one. It is nice to see some new blood in the ATP.

(Images: AP)

Brazilians Marcos Daniel and Thomaz Bellucci booked spots into the Swiss Open semifinals today. Daniels took out Frenchman Florent Serra 6-4 7-6(1). He is become the Francoslayer of the tournament by taking out three-consecutive Frenchmen – Mathieu, Benneteau and now Serra.

Bellucci, on the other hand, was lucky today when Nicolas Kiefer had to retire due to a left ankle injury. The German was up a set at 6-3 but had to withdraw from the match after the first game in the second set.

Poor Kiefer has struggled to consistently stay healthy enough to keep his game on track. This is his second retirement of the year – not including the Hopman Cup. The lack of play has caused the 32 year old’s ranking to drop to 128. He played so well in Stuttgart a couple of weeks ago and was playing well this week. Let's hope for a speedy recovery for the German.

For tomorrow, Daniel will draw third-seed Igor Andreev while Bellucci will play Andreas Beck. None of these players have played one another in ATP competition. Tomorrow should be interesting.

(Images: AP)

Thomaz Bellucci stunned top-seed Stanislas Wawrinka 6-4 6-4. The Brazilian lefty and world no. 119 surprised Wawrinka in front of his hometown audience.

Bellucci started the year out strong with an appearance in the final of the Brazilian Open. He eventually lost that match to Tommy Robredo, who had the hot hand at the time, and soon faded on the tour soon afterward. Bellucci then went back on the challenger tour and won a tournament in Italy a couple of weeks ago.

Now, the 21 year old will play sixth-seed Nicolas Kiefer in the quarterfinals. The two players have never met in ATP competition.

Before Bellucci’s surprise, Marcos Daniel, another Brazilian upset Frenchman Julien Benneteau 6-3 7-6(8). Daniel will play another Frenchman Florent Serra. Serra leads their match-up 1-0.

(Images: AP)