Defending Champ Hrbaty, Spadea Dumped, Coria Survives at ATP Auckland

No. 3 seed and defending champion Dominik “The Dominator” Hrbaty (l. to Acasuso) and No. 4 Vince Spadea (l. to American countryman Robby “Baby Courier” Ginepri) were ousted in second-round action Wednesday at the ATP stop in Auckland.

"I wasn't nervous but inside I wasn't perfect," Hrbaty said. "I don't know if I had a bad sleep or bad preparation but I didn't feel comfortable out there. I gave it everything but this time it wasn't my day."

Ginepri turned the match with Spadea by breaking in the 11^th game of the first set which had a number of deuces.

"That game felt like it would never end," Ginepri told the AP. "I tried to mix the game up a bit with a few lobs. Anytime you can deaden your opponent's legs it's good."

Seeded winners into the quarterfinals were (1) Guillermo “El Fragile” Coria (d. Saulnier 7-6 in the third), (5) Fernando “Gonzo” Gonzalez (d. Zabaleta), and (6) Juan Ignacio Chela (d. Ricardo Mello “Yello”).

Other un-seeds working their way into the quarters Wednesday were Italy’s “You Say” Potito Starace (d. (Q) “Everybody Loves” Raemon Sluiter), Belgium’s Olivier “The Roach” Rochus (d. (Q) Luzzi), and Czech qualifier Jan “Ferrero Killer” Hernych (d. A.Martin).

On court Thursday are El Fragile vs. The Roach, Gonzo vs. Baby Courier, Chela vs. Starace, and Acasuso vs. Hernych.