Sao Paulo, Brazil (SportsNetwork.com) – Santiago Giraldo advanced to the
second round of the Brasil Open on Tuesday.
The sixth-seeded Colombian topped Belgian Kimmer Coppejans in his first ATP
World Tour match, 7-5, 7-6 (7-4).
Spanish left-hander Fernando Verdasco was an easy first-round winner. The
seventh-seeded former top-10 star cruised past Argentine qualifier Maximo
Gonzalez 6-2, 6-3 at this clay court event.
Martin Klizan, the eighth-seeded player from Slovakia, came from behind to
beat Thomaz Bellucci of Brazil 5-7, 6-3, 7-5. Bellucci was this tournament’s
runner-up in 2009 at Costa do Sauipe.
Also on Day 2, Argentine Diego Schwartzman handled last year’s runner-up Paolo
Lorenzi 7-5, 6-4 and lucky loser Facundo Bagnis surprised fellow Argentine and
defending Sao Paulo champion Federico Delbonis 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Delbonis beat
the Italian Lorenzi in last year’s surprise finale here.
Some more opening-round action saw Brazilian wild card Joao Souza top Spaniard
Pablo Carreno Busta 6-2, 7-6 (8-6), Dutch qualifier Thiemo de Bakker overcame
Argentine Juan Monaco 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 and Serb Dusan Lajovic came
back to beat Spaniard Pablo Andujar 3-6, 6-3, 6-2. Carlos Berlocq defeated
fellow Argentinean Guido Pella 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
This week’s winner will collect $80,850.
