Ferrero exits Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo, Brazil – Former world No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero round action Wednesday at the $475,300 Brasil Open.

Argentine Leonardo Mayer toppled the sixth-seeded Ferrero in 7-6 (8-6), 6-2 fashion at this clay-court event. The former French Open champion Ferrero captured this tournament in Costa do Sauipe in 2010 and was the runner-up there in 2007.

Mayer's fellow Argentine, former world No. 3 David Nalbandian, had little trouble with Benoit Paire. Nalbandian, a finalist at Wimbledon in 2002, knocked the Frenchman off 7-6 (7-3), 6-3.

In Wednesday's only second-round match, fourth-seeded Thomaz Bellucci rebounded from a shaky second set to oust fellow Brazilian Ricardo Mello 6-0, 1-6, 6-3.

In other first-round action, Italian Potito Starace defeated Chilean qualifier Paul Capdeville 5-7, 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 and French qualifier Jeremy Chardy handled Slovenian Blaz Kavcic 6-4, 6-4.

Eighth-seeded Spaniard Albert Ramos moved on with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Colombian Santiago Giraldo.

This week's No. 1 seed is defending champion Nicolas Almagro of Spain, who captured his second Brasil Open title last year by besting Ukrainian Alexandr Dolgopolov in the finale. Almagro will face Romanian Victor Hanescu on Thursday.

The 2012 Brasil Open champion will collect $85,800.