Nishikori Wins Buenos Aires Debut Over Ferrero

© Copa Claro/S. LlameraCarlos Berlocq improved to 6-4 on the season Monday.

Fourth seed Kei Nishikori won his Copa Claro debut on Monday, defeating 2010 champion Juan Carlos Ferrero 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in Buenos Aires.

Nishikori, ranked a career-high No. 17 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, converted six of his 14 break point opportunities to pull even with Ferrero 1-1 in their FedEx ATP Head 2 Head series.

"It was a tough match," said Nishikori. "Ferrero is a very good clay-court player. I was a little nervous but started to feel more confident and playing better. I like to play here."

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The 22-year-old Japanese star is competing in his first tournament since becoming the first player from his country to reach the Australian Open quarter-finals (l. to Murray) in the Open Era. He is bidding to win his first clay-court title, having finished runner-up to Ryan Sweeting at the US Men's Clay Court Championship in Houston last year.

Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, the No. 6 seed, defeated Argentine Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-4 in the final match Monday. Wawrinka, a semi-finalist last year on his Buenos Aires debut (l. to Chela), saved six of seven break points faced while capitalising on three of his four opportunities.

Carlos Berlocq cruised past Pere Riba 6-7(5), 6-0, 6-0. After losing the first set tie-break, Berlocq broke the Spainard six times. In the third set, he hit 100 per cent of his first serves in play, winning all 12 points to advance in two hours and 27 minutes.

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Victor Hanescu secured his place in the second round, topping Pablo Andujar 6-3, 4-6, 7-6(4) in two hours and 37 minutes. The Romanian improved to 2-0 versus Andujar, beating him for the second time on clay.

Wild card Fernando Gonzalez advanced in his opener, leading Albert Montanes 7-5, 1-0 before the Spaniard retired with a back injury.

"It's not the way you expect to win, but I'm very happy to have the chance of going onto the court one more time at this tournament," he said. "I played relaxed, without pressure, and that helped."

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