Abierto Mexicano Telcel

Flavia Pennetta came up one win short the last two years but she wouldn't be denied this year, clinching the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL presented by HSBC singles trophy after a 60 46 61 championship win over French teenager and Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final first-timer Alizé Cornet.
 

Nicolas Almagro claimed his second title of the year on Saturday after derailing top-seed David Nalbandian 6-1 7-6 (7/1) in the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel tennis tournament.

Sixth-seeded Spaniard Almagro improved to 15-3 this season after following up his victory at the Costa do Sauipe championship last month.

Almagro halted Nalbandian's nine-match winning streak and handed the world number eight, who won in Buenos Aires last weekend, just his second loss in 12 matches this year.

David Nalbandian reached the final of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel with a straight-sets win over Peru's Luis Horna in Acapulco.

After his latest 7-5 6-1 success, world number eight Nalbandian has won his first four matches without losing a set.

The top-seed needed just 80 minutes to dispatch Horna.

But the chance for an all-Argentinian final evaporated when sixth-seeded Spaniard Nicolas Almagro outlasted Jose Acasuso 6-4 3-6 7-5 in the other semi-final.

Only two players remain at the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL presented by HSBC, as the semifinals took the court on Friday at the Tier III clay court stop. One of the finalists will be competing for the title for a fifth straight year while one will be competing in her career-first Sony Ericsson WTA Tour final, and only one will emerge victorious.
 

Eight became four at the Abierto Mexicano TELCEL presented by HSBC on Thursday, as all four quarterfinal matches took place at the third and final leg of the three-week Latin American clay court season. Among those moving into the semis was top seed Flavia Pennetta.
 

In a environment known for rest and relaxation, David Nalbandian is getting his fair share at the $794,000 Abierto Mexicano Telcel.

Nalbandian, the top seed, continued his recent stellar play when he needed an hour and 17 minutes on Thursday to oust No. 8 Potito Starace of Italy 6-3, 6-3.

The win gives Nalbandian nine straight match wins after his title run in Buenos Aires and moves him into the semifinals at this event for the first time in three tries after straight-set wins over Boris Pashanski of Serbia and Santiago Ventura of Spain.

There is no shortage of former champions at this week’s Abierto Mexicano Telcel tennis tournament in Acapulco. However, the list didn’t take long to dwindle.

Carlos Moya of Spain, a two-time champion here, was among four high-seeded players to be eliminated in second-round action Wednesday at this dual-gender claycourt event.

A champion here in 2002 and 2004, Moya suffered a 6-4, 6-2 setback to Nicolas Massu of Chile.

Guillermo Canas defeated Carlos Berlocq 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-4 Tuesday to advance to the second round of the Mexican Open.

It was the first triumph of 2008 for the fourth-seeded Canas, who was sidelined by a wrist injury. He will face another Argentine, Jose Acasuso, who earlier defeated Spain’s Oscar Hernandez, 6-4, 6-0.

In other first-round matches, Peru’s Luis Horna, who won in 2006 but sat out the 2007 edition due to an injury, bested Italy’s Fabio Fognini 6-4, 7-5.

David Nalbandian hopes to continue his recent stellar play Tuesday at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel.

The top seed in the $794,000 men’s draw, Nalbandian returns to this dual-gender claycourt event for the first time in five years when he takes on Boris Pashanski in Tuesday’s first round.

The world No. 8, Nalbandian overcame a slow start this past weekend to win the Copa Telmex in his native Argentina.

It was the eighth career title for the 26-year-old Nalbandian, who finished strong in 2007 with victories at Madrid and Spain.

Third seed Juan Monaco progressed to the second round of the Abierto Mexicano Telcel courtesy of a 6-3 2-6 6-3 win over Argentinian compatriot Juan Pablo Brzezicki on Monday.

Monaco took the first set comfortably but collapsed in the second, losing two of six break points to allow Brzezicki back into the game.

The 23-year-old regained composure in the decisive set to clinch victory in just under two hours.