BUWNOS AIRES, Argentina, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Playing in his first match since being upset in the first round of the Australian Open, top-seeded Gustavo Kuerten was ousted in opening round Tuesday at the AT&T Cup.
The Brazilian and defending champion had no answer for local favorite Agustin Calleri, who used his home country to his advantage en route to a 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-4) upset.
In the first Grand Slam of the year, Kuerten was beaten last month by unknown Frenchman Julien Boutter.
It also was a quick exit for second-seeded Argentine Guillermo Canas, who was beaten by Spaniard David Sanchez, 6-2, 6-3.
Third-seededed Nicolas Lapentti of Ecuador made it out of the first round with a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 victory over Argentine Leonard Olguin.
A pair of Spaniards -- fifth seed Felix Mantilla and
sixth-seeded Alberto Martin also advanced. Mantilla took out countryman Fernando Vicente, 7-6 (9-7), 7-6 (7-3), while Martin bested Argentine Marian Puerta, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1.
In matches of unseeded players, Nicolas Massu of Chile defeated Argentine Gaston Etlis, 6-1, 6-4; Marian Zabaleta of Argentina outlasted American Hugo Armando, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, 6-3; Spaniard Feliciano Lopez beat Luis Horna of Peru, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3; Argentine Franco Squillari disposed of countryman Sebastien Prieto, 6-1, 6-2; and Fernando Gonzalez of Chile got by Chilean Galo Blanco, 7-5, 2-1 (retired).
