Londero, Ramos-Vinolas move through to last 16 in Cordoba
Juan Ignacio Londero’s title defence opened with a 6-2 7-5 victory over Marco Cecchinato.
Defending champion Juan Ignacio Londero and Albert Ramos-Vinolas advanced to the Cordoba Open round of 16 on Tuesday.
Cordoba was the scene of Londero’s breakthrough ATP Tour title last year, the Argentinian capping a fairytale week by overcoming countryman Guido Pella in three sets.
Back on the red clay following a first-round loss at the Australian Open in January, eighth seed Londero defeated Italy’s Marco Cecchinato 6-2 7-5.
Londero – playing the night session – did not face a break point and won 70 per cent of his first serves, much to the delight of the home crowd at the ATP 250 tournament.
Avanza el campeón defensor en el #CordobaOpen: triunfo 6-2 y 7-5 de @juanlondero sobre Marco Cecchinato pic.twitter.com/DoJf6eKIF7
— Córdoba Open (@CordobaOpen) February 4, 2020
Next up for Londero is fellow Argentine player Pedro Cachin, who crushed Hugo Dellien 6-1 6-1 in just 58 minutes.
Spanish fifth seed Ramos-Vinolas beat local qualifier Facundo Bagnis 6-4 7-6 (7-3), despite wasting a match point at 6-5 in the second set.
It will be an all-Spanish affair in the last 16 after Pablo Andujar accounted for Filip Horansky 6-2 6-2.
Elsewhere, Jaume Munar (6-4 6-3 against Leonardo Mayer), Andrej Martin (7-6 [7-5] 6-4 over Federico Coria), Pedro Martinez (4-6 6-3 6-4 against Federico Gaio) and Corentin Moutet (6-4 6-3 over Thiago Monteiro) also progressed to the next round.