CORRIENTES/STARNBERG, June 16, 2022
Juan Pablo Ficovich has reached the quarterfinals of the Challenger Corrientes without dropping a set. Following a first-round win over Tomas Farjat on Tuesday, the top seed of the $37,520 clay-court event in Argentina defeated fellow Argentine Valerio Aboian 6-4, 6-2 in the second round on Wednesday.
Ficovich, who captured his maiden Challenger crown in Sao Paulo in December last year, capitalized on five of his eight break-point chances to advance after one hour and 19 minutes.
The World No. 175 from Buenos Aires will next take on fifth seed Nick Hardt from the Dominican Republic. The 21-year-old benefited from the retirement of Brazilian youngster Gustavo Heide. Hardt was leading 6-1, 3-2 when the 20-year-old was forced to stop playing due to a back injury.
In other action, Carlos Gomez Herrera of Spain rallied past local wild card entry Alex Barrena 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. The World No. 549 outpointed his rival 116-114 after three hours and two minutes. Gomez Herrera will next play Mariano Navone, who emerged victorious from the all-Argentine affair with Ignacio Monzon, winning 6-2, 6-4. The encounter lasted one hour and 55 minutes.
Mayer returns to the court
Leonardo Mayer, who played his last match at Wimbledon last summer and actually announced his retirement from professional tennis in October, has returned to the circuit to compete in his home town for the first time.
The 35-year-old Corrientes native received a doubles wild card together with Ignacio Monzon and made the most out of it. The two Gauchos defeated Nick Hardt and Valentin Velasquez of Argentina 6-4, 6-2 in one hour and 26 minutes to reach the quarterfinals.
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