The second day at Los Cabos Open. Two seeds didn't make it to the quarterfinals: Sam Querrey and Bernard Tomic. The first and third seeds, Feliciano Lopez and Ivo Karlovic survived. Here's a look at what happened on this second day. 

Sam Querrey fails to win his opening match at Los Cabos Open as he falls to Santiago Giraldo

Santiago Giraldo made the first big upset in Los Cabos as he defeated the fourth seed and Wimbledon quarterfinalist, Sam Querrey, in straight sets. It was a very erratic performance from the American who started the match saving three break points. After that, the first set was pretty even as both players held serve until the eighth game when the American struck first breaking Giraldo’s serve to now serve for the first set, but things were not done yet for the Colombian who didn’t give up and broke right away to stay in the set. After an exchange of holds, a tiebreak would be needed to decide the winner of this first set. In very dominant fashion and helped by the mistakes of his opponent, Giraldo took the first set after a double fault from Querrey who just won one point in the tiebreak.

The second set didn’t go better for the American who got broken in the fourth game after making four unforced errors. Santiago Giraldo struggled a bit to keep his serve in the following game but consolidated the break to be up 4-1. Despite the best efforts of Querrey, the Colombian was playing his best tennis and the continuous unforced errors from the American didn’t help. At 5-2, Giraldo had the pressure of closing the match and even if he was stunned by a forehand winner by Querrey, he stayed calm and closed the match after another unforced error from the American. Santiago Giraldo defeated Sam Querrey 7-6(1), 6-3 in just 83 minutes. In the next round, he will face Pablo Carreno Busta in their first meeting.

Sam Querrey in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis
Sam Querrey in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis

Dusan Lajovic stuns second seed Bernard Tomic in a very tight match

In the second match on the Pegaso Stadium, the second seed, Bernard Tomic, took on Dusan Lajovic in what would be their first meeting. The first set was a display of great tennis as both players held the serves without complications. The only break point of the set happened at 2-3 when Lajovic was on serve, but Tomic couldn’t consolidate the break and things continued until a tiebreak was required in order to find the winner of the first set. The Australian was the one who gave up his serve first as the Serbian took the early lead in the tiebreak at 4-1. Despite getting a mini-break, there was not much Tomic could do to stop Lajovic from taking that first set, 7-6(4).

After having two break points, Tomic was finally able to convert one and take that early lead. He consolidated the break with his serve to lead 2-0. The rest of the set was like in the first one as both players kept playing solid tennis and barely giving out points on their serves. Still, Lajovic couldn’t find a way to get the break back but when Tomic was leading 5-3, the second break of the set came at the perfect time; Tomic breaking to love to take the second set 6-3.  The third set was the same story of the first one as no one was handing anything. The level of tennis improved as powerful shots were exchanged. However, Lajovic was taking more chances and didn’t hesitate to take advantage of Tomic’s mistakes and broke to love to serve for the match. Lajovic needed just one match point to book his spot in the quarterfinals. Dusan Lajovic defeated Bernard Tomic 7-6(4), 3-6, 6-4 in almost two hours. In the next round, he will face Nicolas Almagro. They have faced each other on one occasion: last year at Kitzbühel in which the Spaniard won in straight sets.

Dusan Lajovic in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis
Dusan Lajovic in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis

Third seed Ivo Karlovic saves the day as he defeats Mischa Zverev in three sets

Ivo Karlovic had a winning record against Mischa Zverev of Germany. He has won their two meetings, all of them back in 2008. The last one being in Hamburg where the Croatian won in straight sets in tiebreaks. Maybe knowing this helped Karlovic to go out there and break the German in the second game which helped him to have an early lead 2-0. The Croatian had no problems to consolidate the break and go up 3-0, but Zverev didn’t take long to get on the scoreboard as he held his serve to trail 1-3. That break was enough for Karlovic to take the first set 6-3.

The second set wasn’t much different, just like in the end of the first one both players continued holding their serves without facing break points until the fourth game when Karlovic had to save one to level things up at 2-2. Zverev started playing better and he showed it in the following game as he broke Karlovic for the first time in the match and go up 4-2. This time, that break was everything Zverev needed to take the set 6-3. Another set of tennis was played in the third one as both players continued serving really well, but this time, it was Karlovic to change things if he didn’t want to be the third seed out in a day. And so he did, breaking Zverev in the eighth game to have the chance to serve for the match. Using his best shot, Karlovic closed the match after hitting another huge serve. In just 87 minutes, Ivo Karlovic secured his spot in the last eight after defeating Mischa Zverev 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. In the next round, he will face Marcel Granollers. Karlovic leads the series 2-1, their last meeting being this year at Istanbul where Karlovic won in three sets.

Ivo Karlovic in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis
Ivo Karlovic in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis

Feliciano Lopez closes the day with a win over up and comer, Reilly Opelka

Reilly Opelka started with the right idea as he got three break points on Lopez’s serve but was unable to convert. But on his own serve, Opelka managed to save two break points but Lopez didn’t waste the opportunity to break the American and get an early lead at 3-1. Opelka was determined to get the break back and was hitting great serves but Lopez was not giving anything away and that break was all he needed to take the first set 6-3.

The second set was the same story as there was just one break point that Feliciano Lopez managed to save to level up 2-2. There was an exchange of holds, both relying mostly on their serve. After those break points saved, there were no more chances to break for any player and the second set was forced to be decided on a tiebreak. The American began the tiebreak with an unforced error, something that Lopez took advantage of as he went on to hold his both of his service points to go up 3-0. Opelka tried to come back in the tiebreak, but it was not enough. Opelka saved one match point, but Lopez threw in a forehand winner to close the match 6-3, 7-6(3). In the quarterfinals, he will face Julien Benneteau of France. They have played eight times, the Frenchman leads the series 6-2. Their last meeting happened in 2014 at Indian Wells where Benneteau won in straight sets.

Benneteau, Carreno, Almagro, and Granollers are through the quarterfinals

Two breaks in the first set helped Julien Benneteau to win the first set against Horacio Zeballos, 6-1. However, the Argentine stepped up his game and didn’t give any chance to Benneteau in the second set. It had to be decided with a tiebreak where the Frenchman lost three points to give away the set and force a decider. In a replay of the first set, Benneteau broke twice to win the match 6-1, 6-7(1), 6-1. Now he will face Feliciano Lopez.

On Court 1, Marcel Granollers had a tough first set against Tobias Kamke as he was the first one to break only to be broken right away. At some point, Granollers was two breaks down but in the eighth game, he broke back to level things up to 4-4. The Spaniard again saved three break points and after a hold from the German, things were tied at 5-5. Granollers broke in the following game but was not able to consolidate and the first set had to be decided on a tiebreak. The Spaniard won the tiebreak 7-2. The second set was a lot easier for the Spaniard as he got the first break in the third game and this time he could consolidate it. A second break happened at the seventh game and he put himself in the position to serve for the match. In an hour and 41 minutes, Granollers booked a spot in the quarterfinals where he would play Ivo Karlovic.

Feliciano Lopez in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis
Feliciano Lopez in action during the second day of Los Cabos Open. Photo: Mextenis

Just like on the first day, there was another clash between Spaniards as Nicolas Almagro took on Guillermo Garcia-Lopez. Almagro came through a tough first set which  had to be decided in a tiebreak as well, which he won 7-4. The second set was a lot easier for Almagro as he only needed a break to win the match 6-3. In the next round, he will face Dusan Lajovic, who defeated Bernard Tomic.

It took less than an hour to Pablo Carreno Busta to book a spot in the quarterfinals as he faced Austin Krajicek of the United States. The Spaniard dominated the first set as he didn’t let the American win a single game, taking the opening set in just 25 minutes. In the second set, Krajicek had a better start but the Spaniard didn’t give anything away and in the fifth game he took every chance to get the first break of the set. Serving 3-5 down, Krajicek was not able to hold and with that break Pablo Carreno Busta set a clash against Santiago Giraldo. He defeated Austin Krajicek 6-0, 6-3.

Order of play

Pegaso Stadium

Not before 5:00 pm

Santiago Giraldo (COL) - [WC] Pablo Carreno-Busta (ESP)

Nicolas Almagro (ESP) - Dusan Lajovic (SRB)

Not before 9:00 pm

[1] Feliciano Lopez (ESP) - [PR] Julien Benneteau (FRA)

[8] Marcel Granollers (ESP) - [3] Ivo Karlovic (CRO)

Grandstand

Not before 5:00 pm

Jonathan Erlich (ISR) / Ken Skupski (GBR) - [3]  Mariusz Fyrstenberg (POL) / Mate Pavic (CRO)
Purav Raja (IND) / Divij Sharan (IND) - Nicholas Monroe (USA) / Artem Sitak (NZL)

Not before 9:00 pm

David Marrero (ESP) / Fernando Verdasco (ESP) - Nicolas Almagro (ESP) / Marcelo Demoliner (BRA)

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About the author
Liliana Martinez
Sports Journalist from Mexico City