PARIS(AP) Juan Carlos Ferrero of Spain advanced to the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan II by defeating Christophe Rochus of Belgium 6-2, 6-3 Tuesday.
Ferrero, who won the 2003 French Open, is playing in Casablanca for the first time in 10 years. He converted five of 11 break points and had nine aces.
The 115th-ranked Ferrero will face Potito Starace, an Italian qualifier who defeated Oscar Hernandez of Spain 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Second-seeded Rainer Schuettler Germany was eliminated, losing to Ruben Ramirez Hidalgo of Spain 6-4, 7-6 (5), while third-seeded Albert Montanes of Spain beat Reda El Amrani of Morocco 6-2, 7-5.
Also, sixth-seeded Marc Gicquel of France defeated Kristof Vliegen of Belgium 7-5, 6-3, Olivier Rochus of Belgium beat Mehdi Ziadi of Morocco 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Igor Andreev of Russia topped Rabie Chaki of Morocco 3-6, 6-3, 7-5.