Monfils Moves Past Cuevas At Argentina Open

Gael Monfils needed one hour, five minutes to overcome Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas, 6-1, 6-4 in the first round of the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires on Tuesday.

Monfils won 75 per cent of his first serve points, and converted on his two break point opportunities. 

With the win, Monfils moved to 4-1 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series against Cuevas. The No. 43-ranked Frenchman will play Dusan Lajovic in the next round. Lajovic was a 7-6(4), 6-1 winner over Argentine qualifier Facundo Bagnis on Monday.

Fifth seed Diego Schwartzman, the highest-seeded Argentine in the singles draw, broke five times to beat Andreas Haider-Maurer of Austria. Schwartzman is attempting to become the first homegrown champion in Buenos Aires since David Nalbandian in 2008.

Earlier on Tuesday, eighth-seeded Fernando Verdasco moved past Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro, 6-2, 7-5. Verdasco will face Guido Pella, a 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 winner over Nicolas Kicker, in the second round.