POZOBLANCO/STARNBERG, July 19, 2023
Local wild card entry Pedro Llamas Ruiz headlined Tuesday’s first-round action at the Open Ciudad de Pozoblanco by knocking out former Top 10 star Fernando Verdasco of Spain. The No. 5 seed of the ATP Challenger Tour 75 hard-court event defeated the current World No. 354 6-2, 7-6(0).
Llamas Ruiz struck seven aces, won 80 per cent of his first-service points and capitalized on all of his five break-point chances to seal victory in one hour and 28 minutes.
La magia de los Challengers 🤩👏
El estadio del Challenger de Pozoblanco está casi lleno pasadas las 2:00am⏰
El público no se quiere perder el debut de Fernando Verdasco
¡El sueño puede esperar! pic.twitter.com/JRzgy4NTec
— Iván Aguilar (@ivabianconero) July 19, 2023
The World No. 180 will next take on his compatriot Alejandro Moro Canas, who fought past fellow Spaniard and qualifier Alberto Barroso Campos 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3. The encounter lasted two hours and 33 minutes.
Tuesday Results
First Round – Singles
Pablo Llamas (ESP) – Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-2, 7-6(0)
Daniel Cukierman (ISR) – Nicolás Moreno de Alborán (USA) 6-4, 7-6(6)
Cem Ilkel (TUR) – Adrián Menéndez (ESP) 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(2)
Juan Pablo Ficovich (ARG) – Ryan Peniston (GBR) 3-6, 7-6(0), 6-3
Emilio Nava (USA) – Iñaki Montes de la Torre (ESP) 6-3, 6-2
Hugo Grenier (FRA) vs [PR] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 6-3, 3-6, 6-4
Alejandro Moro (ESP) – Alberto Barroso (ESP) 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3
Alibeck Kachmazov – Benjamin Lock (ZIM) 7-6(3), 7-5
Yanki Ekel (TUR) – Filip Peliwo (POL) 6-1, 6-1
Terence Atmane (FRA) – Pedro Vives (ESP) 7-6(2), 7-6(0)
