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The Sports Network
Vina del Mar, Chile (Sports Network) - Four-time tournament champion Fernando
Gonzalez and fifth-seeded Albert Montanes each posted opening-round victories
Tuesday at the $398,250 VTR Open tennis event.
Gonzalez handled Pere Riba of Spain 6-4, 6-4 in his 2012 season debut at Club
Naval de Campo Las Salinas. The former top-five star and former Australian
Open runner-up missed most of the 2011 season with a knee injury.
The Chilean last won this event in 2009 and was a runner-up here in 2005.
The two-time VTR Open semifinalist Montanes handled qualifier and fellow
Spaniard Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo 6-2, 6-4.
Meanwhile, seventh-seeded Argentine Carlos Berlocq moved on with a 7-5, 6-0
decision against Spaniard Daniel Gimeno-Traver.
Federico Del Bonis of Argentina took down two-time Vina del Mar finalist
Nicolas Massu 6-0, 6-3.
Other first-round winners were Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, Portuguese Frederico
Gil, Argentines Horacio Zeballos and Diego Junqueira and Brazilian qualifier
Rogerio Dutra Da Silva.
The 2012 Vina del Mar champion will collect $71,900.
The Sports Network