Champion Gonzalez battles through

 

Originally published on: 26/02/10 12:17

Time after time, top-seeded Chilean Fernando Gonzalez was in position to take control of the match and had 16 opportunities to break Maximo Gonzalez, but could only convert three to keep his opponent in the contest.

The qualifier, who is ranked 113th in the world, extended the top seed seed to a tiebreaker in the second set before eventually succumbing in two hours and seven minutes.

World number 18 Fernando Gonzalez, who received an opening round bye, also won in Vina Del Mar 2002 and 2004 while the 28-year-old also reached the final in 2005 and holds a 26-5 record in nine appearances.

Fernando Gonzalez now faces a rematch of last year’s final, which he won when Juan Monaco bowed out with an ankle injury.

The fifth-seeded Monaco of Argentina advanced with a straight sets victory over Italy’s Potito Starace in 74 minutes.

Monaco had nine break opportunities in the match and capitalised on four to comfortably dispatch Starace 6-3 6-3.

Elsewhere, qualifier Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay beat third-seeded Spaniard Albert Montanes 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 in one hour and 39 minutes.

Cuevas managed to break Montanes twice and turned the tide in his favour with strong play in the first set tiebreaker.

Finally, wildcard Paul Capdeville of Chile ousted Spain’s Daniel Gimeno-Traver 6-4 6-3 in 84 minutes. Capdeville fought off all five break points he faced while managing to break Gimeno-Traver twice.

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