CASABLANCA, Morocco, April 9 (UPI) -- After local favorite Younes El Aynaoui avoided an upset Tuesday, fellow Moroccan Hicham Arazi had a much easier time Wednesday in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II claycourt event.
Arazi routed Brazil's Fernando Meligeni, 6-3, 6-0, to advance to a meeting with Frenchman Olivier Mutis in the quarterfinals. Arazi, who had lost his previous two matches with Meligeni, is in the quarterfinals for the second time this year. Meligeni had defeated third-seeded Frenchman Arnaud Clement in the first round.
The 29-year-old Arazi lost to Switzerland's Roger Federer in the quarterfinals at Dubai in February and is seeking his second career title.
Mutis, who had lost five of six matches this year before defeating Dutch qualifier Dennis Van Scheppingen in the first round, cruised to a 6-3, 6-3 win over another qualifier, countryman Eric Prodon.
France's Jean-Rene Lisnard had one of the upsets Tuesday as he ousted second-seeded countryman Paul-Henri Mathieu. But on Wednesday, Brazilian Flavio Saretta dispatched Lisnard, 7-5, 6-4. Saretta next faces Frenchman Julien Boutter, who overcame Peru's Luis Horna, 6-7 (4-7), 6-3, 6-4.
El Aynaoui, the top seed and defending champion rallied past Spain's Albert Montanes, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, on Tuesday. He will face Jiri Vanek of the Czech Republic. Vanek won the final first-round match Wednesday, posting a 4-6, 6-4, 7-5 win over Swede Magnus Norman.
