STARNBERG, November 24, 2020
Following the tournament in Guayaquil, the South American clay-court swing on the ATP Challenger Tour continues this week with the $52,080 Lima Challenger held at the Centro Promotor de Tenis Miraflores. Miraflores is a district of the Lima Province, located in the central coast of Peru. It is an exclusive residential and upscale shopping district south of downtown Lima. It is also one of the most affluent districts that make up the nation’s capital city of Lima.
Nicolas Alvarez, one of four local favourites in the main draw, opened his home campaign with a first-round win on Monday. The 24-year-old Lima resident battled past former World No. 38 and wild card entry Nicolas Jarry of Chile, 6-2, 2-6, 6-2. Jarry, who lifted his maiden ATP Tour trophy in Bastad last year, had been suspended for a doping violation during the Davis Cup Finals in November and has returned to the tour for the first time since the Adelaide International in January.
World No. 350 Alvarez, who is competing in his only third international tournament since the Davis Cup Play-offs in March, capitalized on five of his 11 break-point chances to secure victory in two hours and nine minutes. The World No. 350 will next take on either Alejandro Tabilo of Chile or No. 3 seed Andrej Martin from Slovakia, who finished runner-up to Argentine Francisco Cerundolo at last week’s Guayaquil Challenger in Ecuador.
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Francisco’s brother Juan Manuel Cerundolo also booked his place in the second round. The 19-year-old from Argentina defeated wild card entry Conner Huertas Del Pino of Peru 6-4, 7-5 in one hour and 23 minutes. Up next for Cerundolo will be Vitaly Sachko. The 23-year-old qualifier from the Ukraine caused the upset of the day by knocking out No. 6 seed Facundo Bagnis from Argentina 3-6, 6-1, 7-6(5) after two hours and 49 minutes.
No. 7 seed Daniel Elahi Galan remained untroubled during his 6-3, 6-1 win over Argentine Agustin Velotti. The World No. 129 from Colombia saved both break points he faced and converted four of his own five break-point opportunities to prevail after 70 minutes. Galan will play Spaniard Inigo Cervantes in the second round.
