Four-Time Champ Ferrer Earns Revenge In Acapulco

Four-time champion David Ferrer (2010-12, 2015) gained some early-season revenge against #NextGenATP Russian Andrey Rublev, dismissing the 20-year-old 6-4, 6-3 on Monday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

Ferrer raced to a 5-1 lead in the opener only to have to hold on with a break after 36 minutes. Rublev was more solid in the second, but Ferrer was at his vintage self, pushing and pulling the young Russian all over the court.

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Rublev had beaten Ferrer last month at the Australian Open, handing the Spanish veteran a rare first-round loss at a Grand Slam. The 35-year-old right-hander will next meet either fifth seed Juan Martin del Potro or Mischa Zverev of Germany.

Ryan Harrison of the U.S. improved to 3-6 against countryman John Isner in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series. Harrison saved seven of eight break points to advance 6-3, 7-6(5).

The 25-year-old will next face Diego Schwartzman of Argentina or Spain’s Fernando Verdasco. The first-round contest is a rematch of Sunday’s Rio Open presented by Claro final, which Schwartzman won.

Harrison’s countryman Jared Donaldson will also stick around in Acapulco. The 21-year-old was leading 6-2, 3-2 when Georgian Nikoloz Basilashvili retired. Donaldson will next play defending champion Sam Querrey of the U.S. or Aussie Matthew Ebden.