BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Italian second seed Luciano Darderi advanced to the Argentina Open quarterfinals on Thursday with a 6-1, 6-3 win over Chile's Tomas Barrios.
World No. 22 Darderi hit six aces and won 95 percent of his first service points to take the match in an hour and 22 minutes on the outdoor clay of the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club.
Barrios, who is ranked 114th, won only 47 percent of points on his first serve and committed 22 unforced errors.
"It's the first time I've played on clay in five months and I felt really comfortable," said 23-year-old Darderi, who is seeking his fifth career title.
"Today was a really good match and I felt good. In the second set, he started to play better but I'm just happy to be in the quarterfinals here again."
Darderi will meet Pedro Martinez in the next round after the Spaniard overcame local favorite Juan Cerundolo 7-6 (5), 6-4.
In other round-of-16 matches, Argentine Camilo Ugo Carabelli beat compatriot Mariano Navone 6-2, 7-5, and another local hope, Sebastian Baez, overcame Peru's Ignacio Buse 6-4, 6-3. ■
