BARCELONA, 20 April 2005 — Former French Open champion Juan Carlos Ferrero had to dig deep to clinch a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over fellow countryman Albert Montanes in the Barcelona Open yesterday.
Serving for the match at 5-4 in the third set, Montanes looked on course to record his first victory over his compatriot but the 24-year-old had to take a mid-game break to receive treatment on his legs after a marathon point won by Ferrero.
Former world No. 1 Ferrero faces another all-Spanish clash in the second round, against Feliciano Lopez.Spain’s Alberto Martin earned himself a second-round match against defending champion and fellow countryman Tommy Robredo after an efficient 6-4, 6-3 win over Moroccan Younes El Aynaoui. Juan Ignacio Chela won 6-4, 7-6 (7-2) against Spanish qualifier and former finalist Albert Portas and will meet fellow Argentine Agustin Calleri, who edged a 7-6 (7-2), 7-6 (7-2) thriller against French teenager Gael Monfils.
Grosjean, Melzer Advance at US Clay Court Championships
In Houston, Texas, sixth seed Sebastien Grosjean and No. 7 Jurgen Melzer advanced to the second round of the US Clay Court Championships here Monday, while second-seeded Andre Agassi warmed up for singles action with a rare doubles appearance.
France’s Grosjean defeated Bjorn Phau of Germany 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, while Austria’s Melzer beat Argentina’s Mariano Puerta 6-3, 6-3.
Puerta was the only player in the field with a clay court title this season. They were the only seeds in singles action on the opening day of the $380,000 tournament in which Andy Roddick is the top seed. But fans got a glimpse of Agassi in action Monday as he teamed with his former rival, Jim Courier, in doubles. The pair fell 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to Argentina’s Martin Garcia and Peru’s Luis Horna.In other matches on Monday, Spain’s Alex Calatrava kept wild card Donald Young winless, dropping the 15-year-old American to 0-5 on the ATP Tour with a 6-1, 6-4 triumph, and Robby Ginepri defeated fellow American Mardy Fish 6-1, 6-4.
