MADRID, 27 Jun. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The Spanish tennis player Feliciano López agreed this Tuesday to the round of 16 of the Mallorca tournament, of the ATP 250 category, thanks to his 6-3 and 7-5 victory against the Australian Max Purcell, while the also Spanish Albert Ramos, Roberto Carballés and Alejandro Davidovich said goodbye to the Mallorcan grass prematurely after their defeats.
Thus, Albert Ramos from Barcelona experienced a bad debut in the round of 16 at the Mallorca Country Club facilities. After one hour and 57 minutes, he lost a tight 7-6 (0) and 7-6 (3) against the French Arthur Rinderknech, ‘lucky loser’ due to the previous abandonment of the Kazakh Alexander Bublik.
For his part, Roberto Carballés from Tenerife lost in the round of 16 with fellow Frenchman Corentin Moutet 6-3, 7-6(4) after one hour and 50 minutes. Despite recovering in the second set, saving three ‘break’ balls in the ninth game, Carballés ended up giving up in sudden death against a more inspired rival.
Then came the turn of Feliciano López, supported from the stands by his friends Carlos Moyá, Rafa Nadal, Marc López and Tomeu Salvá. With everything ready to pay tribute to the man from Toledo once again, since he was honored last Saturday during the presentation of this tournament, ‘Feli’ showed a great level to beat Purcell in one hour and 21 minutes.
Two months after his 42nd birthday, ‘Feli’ will finish his career as a professional player as soon as he finishes his participation in this Mallorca event. But coming back from Purcell’s initial disadvantages in the two sets, the man from Toledo had the pleasure of postponing his withdrawal for one more day. In the round of 16 he will also face Australian Jordan Thompson, executioner of Frenchman Richard Gasquet 6-3, 6-4.
That victory for ‘Feli’ was the only Spanish joy of the day, as Alejandro Davidovich Fokina then fell during his debut directly in the round of 16. Against Russian Pavel Kotov, the man from Malaga lost 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours and seven minutes. ‘Foki’, second seeded, thus said goodbye to the Calviá grass; 24 hours before, the Valencian Bernabé Zapata had already done it.