Diego Schwartzman marches on in Cordoba, Kecmanovic bows out

Returning to his beloved clay and bouncing back from an early Australian Open defeat, world no. 9 Diego Schwartzman made a winning start at the home ATP 250 event in Cordoba.

Diego took down the former Roland Garros semi-finalist Marco Cecchinato 6-2, 6-2 in 70 minutes, saving six out of seven break chances and delivering five breaks from seven opportunities to advance into the quarters. Schwartzman scored a break in the third game with a return winner and grabbed another two games later to open a 4-1 gap.

Serving for the set, the Argentine defended two break points and sealed the set for 6-2. Unable to impose his strokes behind the initial shot, Cecchinato got broken thrice in set number two and sent Schwartzman over the top following a forehand mistake at 2-5.

A qualifier Juan Manuel Cerundolo took down the 3rd seed Miomir Kecmanovic 6-7, 7-5, 6-2 in two hours and 19 minutes, becoming the youngest Argentinian in the ATP quarter-final since Juan Martin del Potro! From 5-4 down in the opening set, Kecmanovic pulled the break back and stole it in the tie break for a massive boost. Cerundolo overcame two break chances in the second set's games nine and 11 to stay in touch and grabbed a break at 6-5 to steal the set.

With momentum on his side, Juan Manuel delivered four commanding holds in the decider and scored breaks in games four and eight to reach the quarters on his ATP debut.