Haas advances, Almagro ousted in Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo, Brazil (SportsNetwork.com) - Top seed Tommy Haas of Germany moved into the quarterfinals at the Brasil Open with a 7-6 (7-2), 6-3 win over Italian Potito Starace on Wednesday.

Haas, who is playing in his first ATP event on South American soil since 2002 in Acapulco, has never won an event seeded No. 1 in 14 previous tries. In fact, he's reached the final only once, and that took place this month in Zabreb when he lost to Marin Cilic.

Also Wednesday, three-time champion Nicolas Almagro went by way of a second- round upset. Argentine Federico Delbonis upended the second-seeded Spaniard 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 at this clay court tournament. Almagro captured this championship in 2008 and back-to-back in 2011 and 2012.

Also on Day 3, Spaniard Albert Montanes was leading Joao Souza 6-4, 2-3 when the Brazilian retired due to muscle problems. Horacio Zeballos handled fellow Argentine Guido Pella 6-3, 6-4. Montanes will face Delbonis in Friday's quarterfinals, while Zeballos faces Haas.