Madrid, May 9 (IANS): Top seed Novak Djokovic overcame the loss of the second set against Spanish qualifier Daneil Gimero-Traver to qualify for the last 16 of the Mutua Madrid Open tennis.
The Serb also had to overcome some problems with the court and was visibly annoyed after slipping twice on the controversial blue clay surface, before powering his way toa 6-2, 2-6, 6-3 victory Tuesday, reports Xinhua.
Local favourite Feliciano Lopez, seeded 13th, was unable to give the Madrid fans much to cheer about as he lost in three sets 6-3, 6-7, 4-6 to Jurgen Melzer, with the beaten clay doing little to favour the big-serving Spaniard.
Tomas Berdych, seeded sixth, had a straightforward 6-4, 6-3 win over Kevin Anderson.
Former finalist David Nalbandian lost 4-6, 4-6, to Canadian Milos Raonic while Radic Stepanek enjoyed a straight sets triumph against Australian, Bernard Tomic. Stepanek will now face Spain's number five seed David Ferrer in.
Number 12 seed Gael Monfils had to work for a three-set triumph over Philipp Kohlschrebber 5-7, 7-6, 6-3 in a match where the Frenchman only showed his superiority in the final set.
Spain's Fernando Verdasco, seeded 15, progressed, defeating Denis Istomin 7-5, 6-2, while Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka booked his place in the last 32 after a 6-4, 6-7 victory against Oliver Rochus.
First Round: Federico Delbonis (Argentina) bt Albert Ramos (Spain) 6-3, 6-2; Radek Stepanek (Czech Republic) bt Bernard Tomic (Australia) 6-2, 7-5; Mario Cilic (Croatia) bt Albert Montanes (Spain) 6-3, 6-3; Andreas Seppi (Italy) bt Michael Llodra (France) 7-5, 6-4; Stanislas Wawrinka (Switzerland) bt Olivier Rochus (Belgium) 6-4, 7-6 (7-3); 16-Alexandr Dolgopolov (Ukraine) bt Pablo Andujar (Spain), 7-6 (7-5), 6-4; 9-Gilles Simon (France) bt Fabio Fognini (Italy) 6-7 (1-7), 6-3, 6-3;10-Juan Martin del Potro (Argentina) bt Florian Mayer (Germany) 6-4, 6-2;12-Gael Monfils (France) bt Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) 7-5, 6-7 (2-7), 6-3;15-Fernando Verdasco (Spain) bt Denis Istomin (Uzbekistan) 7-5, 6-2; Jurgen Melzer (Austria) bt 13-Feliciano Lopez (Spain) 3-6, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4; Milos Raonic (Canada) bt David Nalbandian (Argentina) 6-4, 6-4; Marcel Granollers (Spain) bt Carlos Berlocq (Argentina) 7-5, 3-6, 7-5; 14-Richard Gasquet (France) bt Thomaz Bellucci, Brazil, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
Second Round: 6-Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) bt Kevin Anderson, (South Africa) 6-4, 6-3; 1-Novak Djokovic (Serbia) bt Daniel Gimeno-Traver (Spain) 6-2, 2-6, 6-3.