SALINAS/STARNBERG, April 7, 2022
The quarterfinals of the Challenger de Salinas Copa Banco Guayaquil presentado por CNT, being held at Salinas Golf & Tennis Club in Ecuador, are set and two home favourites have reached the stage of the final eight. Emilio Gomez, top seed of the $53,120 hard-court tournament, eased past Daniel Dutra da Silva of Brazil 6-3, 6-2 in his second-round match on Wednesday.
The World No. 148 sent down five aces and won 72 per cent of his first-service point to advance after one hour and 13 minutes.
Highlights@emiliogomez91 ECU vs Daniel Dutra Da Silva BRA
2da ronda #ChallengerdeSalinas Copa @BancoGuayaquil presentado por @CNT_EC pic.twitter.com/Gg6JjRdrFe— Challenger de Salinas (@SalinasOpenEc) April 6, 2022
“I was a bit unlucky at the beginning, I lost my serve with two double faults, but then I started to loosen up and found my game pretty quickly. I know how I have to play in these conditions on this court and I am satisfied with the performance,” said Gomez, who is seeking his third Challenger career title, his first since his triumph in Salinas last year.
The 30-year-old Guayaquil native will next take on US-American qualifier Felix Corwin, who outlasted Tun-Lin Wu of Chinese Taipei 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 in almost three hours of play.
“I did not know him,” Gomez said of his upcoming opponent. “We watched him here and together with my team we will plan the strategy, but the most important thing is that I will have to play my game.”
Quiroz beats Mejia
Gomez will be joined in the quarterfinals by his compatriot Roberto Quiroz, who edged out No. 8 seed Nicolas Mejia of Colombia 6-4, 6-3. The 30-year-old lefty, who was also born in Guayaquil, won 55 per cent of the total points played to prevail after one hour and 40 minutes.
Highlights@RobertoQuirozG ECU vs @nicomejia00 COL
2da ronda #ChallengerdeSalinas Copa @BancoGuayaquil presentado por @CNT_EC
🎥 @SalinasOpenEc / @Steven_Mejia95 pic.twitter.com/1GaoSZohHW— Challenger de Salinas (@SalinasOpenEc) April 6, 2022
“I was a very emotional match,” said Quiroz. “Nico is part of the team and that’s never nice. Perhaps, it’s the awkward part of sharing a coach and traveling together, but I’m happy with how I played today, in tough conditions. At the beginning it was very hot, then gusts came in, but I think I handled it well.”
Up next for Quiroz will be JC Aragone from the United States, who defeated Yunseong Chung of South Korea 7-5, 6-4 in one hour and 41 minutes.
Nicolas Moreno de Alboran caused the upset of the day by knocking out fellow US-American and second seed Christopher Eubanks 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. The World No. 288 from New York City broke his rival’s serve two times to secure victory in two hours and seven minutes. Moreno de Alboran will play seventh favourite Andrea Collarini from Argentina in the quarterfinals. Collarini beat Michail Pervolarakis of Greece 7-5, 6-2 in one hour and 28 minutes.
Wednesday Results
Second Round
Emilio Gómez ECU def. Daniel Dutra Da Silva BRA 6-3, 6-2
Camilo Ugo Carabelli ARG def. Akira Santillan AUS 6-4, 1-6, 6-3
Felix Corwin USA def. Tung-Lin Wu TPE 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
Roberto Quiroz ECU def. Nicolás Mejía COL 6-4, 6-3
JC Aragone USA def. Yunseong Chung KOR 7-5, 6-4
Andrea Collarini ARG def. Michail Pervolarakis 7-5, 6-2
Nicolás Moreno de Alboran USA def. Christopher Eubanks USA 3-6, 6-3, 6-4
Alexander Ritschard SUI def. Nicolás Álvarez PER 6-3, 3-6, 6-1
