Starace Strikes a Blow to Local Hopes
Third-seeded Potito Starace struck a blow to local hopes at the BCR Open Romania on Thursday. The World No. 31 knocked out wild card Andrei Pavel 6-3, 6-3 in 78 minutes for a place in the quarterfinals.
The result means Starace will be the new Italian No. 1 when the new South African Airways ATP Rankings are announced on Monday. The 26-year-old will usurp No. 28 Filippo Volandri, who made a first round exit in Bucharest this week (l. to Monfils).
Starace converted three of 11 break points to notch his 24th ATP-level win of the year, which includes runner-up finishes at Valencia (l. to Almagro) and Kitzbuehel (l. to Monaco). The 33-year-old Pavel drops to 15-10 this season.
Starace will next meet another Romania Victor Hanescu, who beat No. 8 seed Albert Montanes, the 2001 runner-up (l. to El Aynaoui), 6-3, 6-2 in 72 minutes. Hanescu hit five aces and saved all three break points he faced.
Russian qualifier Yuri Schukin advanced to an ATP quarterfinal for the first time in his career when he defeated Italian Simon Bolelli, 6-4, 6-3. The 28-year-old converted on four of his five break point chances while holding Bolelli to one of six to pick up his sixth career ATP-level victory.
Schukin, who came into the tournament ranked No. 164, is one of three qualifiers to reach the Bucharest quarterfinals alongside Frenchman Gael Monfils and American Hugo Armando.
The Russian will face Carlos Berlocq for a spot in the semifinals after the Argentine defeated Spaniard Ivan Navarro Pastor 7-5, 6-3 in just under two hours. Berlocq also defeated Navarro Pastor earlier this year at Vina del Mar.
The 24-year-old Berlocq, currently No. 77 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings, improved to an 11-12 season mark and will be appearing in his third clay court quarterfinal of the year.
