MARBELLA, March 28, 2019
Top seed Benoit Paire will lead the quarterfinals line-up at the Casino Admiral Trophy. The World No. 67 from France benefited from the retirement of Canadian qualifier Steven Diez on Friday to reach the stage of the final eight at the Puente Romano Tenis Club.
Benoit Paire
Paire was leading 6-1, 6-6 when Diez was forced to stop playing due to a left leg injury. The 29-year-old Avignon native will next take on No. 12 seeded Italian Alessandro Giannessi, who rallied past his countryman Raul Brancaccio, winning 4-6, 7-6(4), 6-3 in two hours and 31 minutes.
Pablo Andújar, No. 2 seed of the €46,600 ATP Challenger clay-court event, defeated fellow Spaniard Mario Vilella Martínez 6-4, 6-2. The 33-year-old from Cuenca saved six of the seven break points he faced, converting four of his own 11 chances to advance in one hour and 35 minutes. Next up for Andújar will be Ginaluca Mager, who emerged victorious from the all-Italian encounter with Filippo Baldi, 6-4, 6-2.
Youngsters advance
Pedro Martínez caused the upset of the day by knocking out No. 5 seed Guillermo Garcia-López. The 21-year-old Spaniard won 53 per cent of the total points played to secure a 3-6, 6-3, 6-1 victory in exactly two hours of play. Martínez will next challenge No. 3 seed Jiri Vesely from the Czech Republic.
Grandísima victoria de Pedro Martínez @PedroMPortero ante Guille Lopez @GuillermoGLopez por 3-6 6-3 6-1.
El punto de partido final resume la batalla vista@casinoadmiralt @PuenteTenis @spaintenis#Tenis #Málaga #Tennis #Marbella #marbellachallenger #ATP #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/OIGuvNAR9w— Tenis Málaga (@TenisMalaga) 28. März 2019
In the remaining quarterfinal, Thiago Monteiro of Brazil will take on Spanish teenager Alejandro Davidovich Fokina. Monteiro edged out Italian veteran Simone Bolelli 6-4, 7-6(4) and Davidovich Fokina beat wild card entry Carlos Taberner 6-2, 6-0.
“It’s always special to play at home in front of your home crowd,” Davidovich Fokina said. “It’s also builds up a bit of pressure but I am looking forward to the upcoming matches.”
Victoria de Alex Davidovich @alexdavidovich1 ante Taberner por 6-2 6-0 en un auténtico recital de tenis
Clasificado para los Cuartos.
Punto de partido:@casinoadmiralt @PuenteTenis@spaintenis @fattenis#Tenis #Málaga #Tennis #Marbella #marbellachallenger #ATP #ATPChallenger pic.twitter.com/CfieERVPQG— Tenis Málaga (@TenisMalaga) 28. März 2019
