BUCARAMANGA, January 29, 2016

The favourites of the $50,000 Claro Open ATP Challenger in Bucaramanga advanced to the quarterfinals on Thursday.

Top-seed Victor Estrella Burgos overcame Jose Hernandez-Fernandez in a two hours and two minutes battle between the two players from the Dominican Republic. The world number 55 had to work hard, winning 81% of his first service points to seal a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory. Estrella Burgos will face Mathias Bourgue next. The 22-year-old Frenchman defeated Pedro Cachin 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 33 minutes.

Second seed Paolo Lorenzi also reached the stage of the final eight but celebrated a more comfortable victory than the tournament’s number one. The world number 57 from Italy hit six aces against Guido Andreozzi, saved all seven break points he faced, converting five of his own to advance in 72 minutes. Lorenzi won 6-1, 6-2 taking on eighth seed Gasto Elias next. The 25-year-old Portuguese rallied back, winning 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 over Guilherme Clezar in two hours and 25 minutes.

Seventh favourite Horacio Zeballos set a quarterfinals clash with Jordi Samper-Montana. Zeballos emerged victorious from the all-Argentine-affair with Facundo Arguello, winning 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in two hours and 18 minutes. Samper-Montana lost the tie-break in the opening set 2-7 against Nicolas Kicker but fought back to clinch a 6-7, 7-5, 6-4 win in two hours and 46 minutes.

In the remaining quarterfinal match two unseeded players will go head to head on Friday, as Gerald Melzer battled past Hans Podlipnik-Castillo, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 in two hours and 12 minutes and Eduardo Struvay outlasted Bastian Trinker 6-4, 6-1. The serve and volley specialist from Colombia only needed 54 minutes to finish the encounter.