Tennis: Almagro, Bellucci through to quarterfinals

Nicolas Almagro eased into the quarterfinals. Photo / Steven McNicholl

Spain's Nicolas Almagro and Brazil's Thomaz Bellucci have become the first players to advance to the quarterfinals of the Heineken Open tennis tournament in Auckland.

Almagro beat Romania's Victor Hanescu in two tight sets 6-4 7-6, while Bellucci required three sets to defeat former top 10 player Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-4 3-6 6-1.

Playing his first singles match in Auckland this tournament after advancing straight into the second round by virtue of his second seeding, Almagro was more clinical on the big points than Hanescu.

Hanescu had plenty of opportunities to break Almagro's serve - he had six break points compared to Almagro's three - but he could only convert one of them, while Almagro broke Hanescu's serve twice.

The Romanian had a much better first serve percentage as well - 71 percent to 51 percent - but the Romanian won just 38 percent of points on his second serve, compared to Almagro's 59 percent.

Almagro, generally a clay court specialist, will play the winner of today's all-French clash between Adrian Mannarino and Arnaud Clement in the quarterfinals.

Bellucci will play the winner of the match between fourth seed Albert Montanes of Spain and Santiago Giraldo of Colombia.

- NZPA