Almagro, Nalbandian Cruise Into Buenos Aires QFs; Simon Stumbles

© Copa Claro / Sergio LlameraArgentines Juan Monaco and David Nalbandian faced off for the fourth time.

Defending Copa Claro champion Nicolas Almagro moved through to the quarter-finals Thursday in Buenos Aires, dismissing qualifier Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-2.

The No. 2 seed did not face a break point, taking 86 per cent of his first serve points. He broke the Argentine three times in his six break opportunities to clinch the second-round victory in 74 minutes.

Almagro is bidding to win his second title in as many weeks, having successfully defended his trophy at the Brasil Open in Sao Paulo (d. Volandri). On Friday, the Spaniard will square off against qualifier Igor Andreev in the final eight.

Andreev upset Spanish No. 7 seed Fernando Verdasco 7-6(3), 6-3 in one hour and 40 minutes. The Russian has now reached the quarter-finals in three of his five appearances at this ATP World Tour 250 clay-court tournament.

Frenchman Gilles Simon bowed out in the second round for a second straight Golden Swing tournament, falling to Argentine Carlos Berlocq 6-2, 6-1 in 66 minutes. The World No. 12 had fallen to David Nalbandian at this stage last week at the Brasil Open.

Simon managed to win just 40 per cent of his service points, broken five times by the 43rd-ranked Berlocq, whom he’d defeated in their previous three meetings.

The seeds exodus continued Thursday evening, when former World No. 3 David Nalbandian eased past fellow Argentine and No. 5 seed Juan Monaco 6-3, 6-1. He saved all three break points faced on serve and capitalised on four of his 12 break point chances to secure the win in one hour and 29 minutes.

"You always expect a tough match against Juan, especially here because of the motivation of playing home, but I think I started playing very well and he didn't that much," said Nalbandian. "He made some mistakes and thanks to that I could take the lead from the beginning."

The pair had also faced off three years ago in the Buenos Aires semi-finals, a match Monaco won in a third set tie-break.

Nalbandian, who defeated countryman Jose Acasuso in the 2008 final, is through to the Buenos Aires quarter-finals for the fifth straight year and for the seventh time overall.

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