Gil sets up Nadal clash

 

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

Portuguese Gil claimed a 6-2 6-1 win to set up a meeting on Wednesday with Mallorcan world number one Nadal, whose sights are set on a fifth successive French Open victory next month.

On a mixed day for Spanish players in the Catalan capital, Juan Carlos Ferrero crashed out after suffering a 7-5 7-6 (7/3) defeat to Russia’s Igor Kunitsyn.

The former world number one had won his first title in over five years at the Casablanca Grand Prix earlier this month but struggled throughout the first set and only briefly put up a fight in the second.

Local man Albert Montanes fell victim to Serbian Janko Tipsarevic with a 6-4 7-6 (7/1) defeat on Monday morning to miss out on a possible meeting with Radek Stepanek in the next round.

Tenth seed Nicolas Almagro, another Spaniard, beat Victor Hanescu courtesy of an injury to the Romanian in the third set. Almagro had lost the first, won the second in a tie break and was 2-2 in the third when Hanescu had to pull out with muscular problems.

An injury also forced Martin Vassallo Arguello out when he retired with a back problem against Czech player Tomas Berdych.

Russian Igor Andreev beat Italian Andreas Seppi 6-3 3-6 7-5 and will face Spanish wild card Alberto Martin in the second round after he beat France’s Marc Gicquel 6-3 6-4.

Christophe Rochus of Belgium beat Nicolas Devilder 6-4 6-4 to progress while Argentinians Jose Acasuso and Juan Ignacio Chela advanced to the second round.

Qualifier Santiago Ventura enjoyed a 7-6 (8/6) 6-3 win over fellow Spaniard Marcel Granollers while elsewhere there were wins for qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin and Potito Starace.

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