Wednesday’s play on the Cordoba Open was not sort to the house favourites, as three Argentines suffered defeat on the ATP 250’s stadium courtroom — with fourth seed Sebastian Baez nonetheless in motion.

Joao Sousa opened the day’s play with a 3-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 win in opposition to Tomas Martin Etcheverry, earlier than Marco Cecchinato defeated Facundo Bagnis 6-2, 7-6(4) and qualifier Hugo Dellien downed fifth seed Pedro Cachin 6-3, 6-4.

Italy’s Cecchinato did effectively to complete off his victory in straight units after he missed out on two match factors on return at 5-3 and did not serve out the match at 5-4 within the second set. The former World No. 16 raced out to a 5/0 lead within the tie-break earlier than sealing his place within the second spherical together with his second tour-level victory of the season.

“I started the match very well on my serve. At the end I [felt] a little bit of tension because it’s the first [clay] match of the year,” stated Cecchinato, who was damaged simply as soon as. “I need the confidence during the match and I need the feeling on red clay. It’s the first match after so many months on the red clay. In the end I’m very happy for this victory.”

Moving on!

Marco Cecchinato defeats Facundo Bagnis 6-2 7-6 at in Cordoba! 💪@CordobaOpen | #CordobaOpen pic.twitter.com/kg784WzhyY

— ATP Tour (@atptour) February 8, 2023

The 30-year-old will face sixth seed Federico Coria within the second spherical after the Argentine scored a 6-7(5), 6-1, 6-2 win in opposition to Thiago Monteiro on Tuesday. In addition to the pair’s lone earlier ATP Head2Head assembly, a three-set win for Coria in Bastad in 2021, they’ve additionally met thrice on the ATP Challenger Tour, with the Italian profitable twice.

“I know Coria,” stated Cecchinato. “We’ve played so many times, so for sure it will be a tough match.”

Chile’s Tomas Barrios Vera turned the primary man to succeed in the quarter-finals this 12 months in Cordoba courtesy of his 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 win gainst eight-seeded Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles. The wild card awaits the winner of Baez’s night match in opposition to Italian qualifier Luciano Darderi.