CASABLANCA, Morocco, April 10 (UPI) -- Defending champion and local favorite Younes El Aynaoui went the distance Thursday against Sweden's Magnus Norman to reach the quarterfinals of his home tournament -- the Grand Prix Hassan II.
The top seed, El Aynaoui won, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, to even his record against Norman in claycourt meetings at 2-2. Norman does have another victory against the Moroccan on hard court in Long Island, New York in 2000, a year the Swede swept three meetings from him.
El Aynaoui's next opponent will be Nicolas Massu of Chile, who rallied against Zeljko Krajan of Croatia, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4 to earn a spot in the quarters.
No. 4 Dominik Hrbaty of Slovakia posted his second straight-sets victory of the week, 6-3, 6-2, against Hungarian Attila Savolt.
Hrbaty and El Aynaoui are the only remaining seeds in the draw.
The Slovakian faces Argentine qualifier Federico Browne who fought back to oust countryman Franco Squillari, 1-6, 7-6 (12-10), 6-4.
