It was not good opening round for the seeded players in Guayaquil, as five seeds crashed out in the first round, the most high-profile being top seed Gastao Elias, ousted 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 by Guilherme Clezar.
Elias had been handed a tough draw against young Brazilian Guilherme Clezar, who is as much at home on clay as the Portugese, having starred in the ATP Challenger Finals in 2014, reaching the final. He has also won a clay challenger in 2013 and was a finalist this year in Rio (l. to Bagnis). Clezar came flying out, breaking twice in the first set, holding off the single break point Elias earned, to claim the opener with relative ease.
Elias proved stronger on serve in the second set, not providing Clezar any opportunities, and capitalising on the lone break point of the set to level affairs. Elias, as the top seed and on the back of a strong second set may have been the favourite in the decider once again, but Clezar emerged victorious in an up-and-down final set, featuring five breaks. Fortunately, for the Brazilian he earned three to Elias’ two, and will play in the second round.
He will play Arthur de Greef who won after Pedro Sousa retired 1-3 down with an injury.
The shock of the round may not belong to Clezar however, but Joao Pedro Sorgi, who as a qualifier shocked ATP titlist Victor Estrella Burgos 6-3, 6-7, 7-6 in a match lasting two hours and forty-five minutes. A brutal final set featuring no breaks saw Sorgi oust the Dominican 9-7 in the deciding tie-break. He will play the winner of Roberto Quiroz and Leonardo Mayer.
The other seeds struck by ill fortune or inspired opponents in the first round included fourth seed Carlos Berlocq and eighth seed Joao Souza. Berlocq was foced to retire against fellow veteran Andre Ghem during the second set.Souza started well against Mathias Bourgue winning the first set. He then won only two of the last fourteen games as Bourgue emerged the winner 4-6, 6-0, 6-2. Wildcard Ivan Indara added to the exodus, dismissing seventh seed Rogerio Dutra Silva 7-6, 6-2.
Ninth seed Ernesto Escobedo was the only seed with the expected smooth progress, winning against Agustin Velotti 6-2, 6-3. Second seed Facundo Bagnis was the only other seed to progress, though he only narrowly avoided the fates of many of his contemporaries. Bagnis edged Jose Hernandez-Fernandez 5-7, 7-6, 6-4
