Ferrer advances to 2nd round in Mexican Open

ACAPULCO, Mexico (AP) -- Two-time defending champion David Ferrer of Spain defeated fan favorite Santiago Gonzalez 6-1, 6-2 on Tuesday to reach the second round of the Mexican Open.

The top-seeded Ferrer, trying to win his third title of the season, needed just over an hour to eliminate the Mexican player at The Fairmont Acapulco Princess. The sixth-ranked Spaniard saved all five break points he faced and converted on four of his seven opportunities.

Ferrer won the Copa Claro last week in Argentina and a title at Auckland, New Zealand in January.

Also Tuesday, No. 3 seed Gilles Simon of France lost 6-7 (5), 3-6 to Carlos Berlocq of Argentina. It was the second consecutive tournament that Berlocq eliminated Simon after the Frenchman had lost in the second round of the Copa Claro last week in Argentina.

"I played a great match and I'm happy with my performance today," Berlocq said. "Last week I had played a perfect match against him. Today it was tougher because of the heat, which was incredible."

In Brazil three weeks ago, Simon lost to Argentine David Nalbandian, also in the second round.

Sixth-seeded Juan Monaco of Argentina retired with heat exhaustion while losing 6-7 (2), 3-5 to Albert Ramos of Spain. Albert Montanes of Spain also had to retire in his match against No. 4 seed Kei Nishikori of Japan, who was winning 6-2, 4-1.

Eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco of Spain needed 56 minutes to rout Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-0, 6-2. Swiss player Stanislas Wawrinka had 10 aces in his 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 victory against Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain. Six of Wawrinka's aces came in the decisive set.

In the women's side, top-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy had eight aces in her 6-2, 7-6 (5) victory over Silvia Soler-Espinosa of Spain.

Fellow Italian Flavia Pennetta, the No. 2 seed, ousted Arantxa Parra Santonja of Spain 6-4, 6-2, while third-seeded Sara Errani, also of Italy, trounced American Irina Falconi 6-1, 6-1.