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Umag - Defending champion Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain defeated third-seeded Croatian Ivan Ljubicic on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the Croatia Open.
Ferrero rallied from one set down and saved a break point at 3-3 in the second to change the course of the match and beat Ljubicic 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
"I tried not to make mistakes after the first set," he said. "I gave him too many easy points in the first set ... It worked much better as match went on."
Ljubicic, playing for the first time in a a month, impressed during the first set but could not keep up the pace and served poorly, with only 36 percent of his first serves in.
"My serve was beyond any acceptable statistic levels," he complained. "It was tough to keep concentration for two hours after such a long break."
Ljubicic also said that "conditions in Umag are not suitable for me, it's too slow."
Ferrero will next face Carlos Berlocq of Argentina who progressed after fifth-seeded Tommy Robredo of Spain withdrew because of a left calf injury.
Also on Wednesday, Albert Ramos of Spain defeated Gianluca Naso of Italy 6-1, 6-3, and second-seeded Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine beat Filippo Volandri of Italy 6-1, 6-2.
Results on Wednesday from Croatia Open on outdoor clay at the Sol Stella Maris resort (seedings in parentheses):
Singles
Second Round
Juan Carlos Ferrero, Spain, def. Ivan Ljubicic (3), Croatia, 1-6, 6-3, 6-4.
Albert Ramos, Spain, def. Gianluca Naso, Italy, 6-1, 6-3.
Carlos Berlocq, Argentina, def. Tommy Robredo (5), Spain, walkover.
Alexandr Dolgopolov (2), Ukraine, def. Filippo Volandri, Italy, 6-1, 6-2.
