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.

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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.

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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.