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2/5/09 5:14 AM | Kelli DeMario
Defending champion Fernando Gonzalez struggled to capture a straight-set victory against Maximo Gonzalez in his opening match Wednesday night.
Fernando Gonzalez, three times a winner at the Movistar Open in 2002, 2004 and 2008, needed more than two hours to dismiss feisty Argentine qualifier Maximo Gonzalez. The top seed, playing in his ninth tournament in Viña del Mar, improved his record to 26-5.
The Chilean began the contest in fine fashion, hitting a volley winner to break the Argentine serve in game one of the match. Behind some solid groundstrokes, the Chilean looked to breeze through the first set easily. He turned in a sloppy game at 4-3, however, allowing the Argentine to draw level at 4-4. An error-prone Chilean found himself down two set points in his service game at 4-5, but with help from the hometown crowd, held to reach 5-5. The Argentine surrendered his serve for a second time on a double fault, falling behind, 6-5. A steadied Chilean took the first set, 7-5.
The top seed survived a hiccup on serve at the start of set two, crushing his trademark forehand to save break point. The two competitors traded breaks of serve at 4-3, eventually pushing the second set to a tie break. The first mini-break went the way of the Argentine, 3-1. A costly double-fault by the qualifier squared the tie break, 4-4. The Argentine had a set point at 7-6, but failed to convert. The defending champion secured the victory at 9-7 in the tie break, after the Argentine struck an errant forehand.
Gonzalez will meet 2008 Movistar Open finalist Juan Monaco in the quarterfinals on Friday. Monaco won his second-round match against Italian Potito Starace 6-3, 6-3 on Wednesday afternoon.
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