Estoril Open 2007 News and Events

Tommy Robredo
© AFP/Getty Images

ATP World No. 7 Tommy Robredo fought back from a one set and 3-0 deficit against fellow Spaniard and qualifier Alberto Martin to secure a place in the quarterfinals of the Estoril Open on Thursday.

Martin looked on course to advance to his second ATP quarterfinal of the season (Valencia), but failed to seize his chance as Robredo stormed back to win 6-7(4), 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and 28 minutes in front of a capacity crowd on Centralito.

Robredo, who also beat Martin en route to the Auckland final in January, hit three aces and won 69 of points on first serve. The 25-year-old, who celebrated his birthday two days ago, converted six of 13 break point opportunities.

In five visits to Estoril, the 29-year-old Martin has a 2-5 record. The World No. 93 falls to 5-12 this year, highlighted by a quarterfinal exit in Valencia (l. to Ventura).

Robredo, with an 18-9 season record, will next play No. 7 seed and 2003 runner-up Agustin Calleri, who advanced to the last eight after Argentine compatriot Juan Martin del Potro retired with a fever. Calleri was leading 7-5, 1-0.

In other second round action, No. 5 seed Richard Gasquet of France improved to 20-8 on the season as he swept past Portuguese wild card Frederico Gil 6-1, 6-2.

Gasquet won 77 per cent of points on first serve, hitting two aces. The 20-year-old broke the Gil serve four times from eight opportunities.

The 22-year-old Gil was facing the second highest-ranked opponent of his four-year pro career in No. 15-ranked Gasquet. He won just 10 of 43 points on return of serve. Last year, Gil lost to the then World No. 4 David Nalbandian in the quarterfinals.

Gasquet has already reached one ATP semifinal in Sydney (l. to Moya) and three other quarterfinals at Adelaide (l. to Guccione), Marseille (l. to Soderling) and ATP Masters Series Monte-Carlo (l. to Ferrero).

He will next meet American Vince Spadea, who booked his place in a first European clay-court quarterfinal for three years.

The oldest player remaining in the draw won his first career meeting against French qualifier Olivier Patience 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in one hour and 58 minutes.

The World No. 76 last reached the last eight of a European clay-court tournament at ATP Masters Series Rome (l. to Nalbandian) in May 2004.

Spadea improves to 15-11 this year, highlighted by one semifinal performance in Delray Beach (l. to Malisse) and quarterfinal finishes at Adelaide (l. J. Johansson), San Jose (l. to Roddick) and Houston (l. to Montanes).

Patience, who knocked out top seed and 2003 champion Nikolay Davydenko on Wednesday, has a 2-5-match record on the ATP circuit in 2007.

ESTORIL OPEN RE-CAP
Wednesday: Djokovic into QFs; Davydenko Falls in Opener
Tuesday: Mathieu Continues Hot Streak
Monday: Djokovic Edges Andreev in Epic Battle
Sunday: Querrey, Kunitsyn Win into Second Round