Heineken Open 2r results

© Getty ImagesNo. 2 seed Nicolas Almagro did not drop serve Wednesday.

Defending Heineken Open champion David Ferrer made a strong start to his 2012 season Wednesday, coasting past Lukas Rosol 6-4, 6-2 in Auckland.

The top seed converted three breaks of serve against the Czech, and did not face a break point en route to beating Rosol in just over an hour.

Ferrer improved to a 17-5 event record and is bidding to lift his third trophy after triumphing in 2011 and 2007. The fifth-ranked Spainard will meet Alejandro Falla in the quarter-finals. Falla improved to a 2-0 record against Potito Starace, defeating the Italian 7-6(3), 6-3. The Colombian dropped serve just once and won 79 per cent of his second serve points to advance in one hour and 20 minutes.

World No. 10 Nicolas Almagro defeated Santiago Giraldo 6-4, 6-2 to reach the quarter-finals. The No. 2 seed fired 11 aces and won 86 per cent of his service points to wrap up the victory over Giraldo in one hour and eight minutes. "I'm very happy with my tennis today," Almagro said. "I played very aggressive and served very well."

Almagro is seeking his first hard-court title and is coming off a final four showing at the Aircel Chennai Open last week (l. to Raonic). He'll look to progress to his second straight Auckland semi-final when he faces eighth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber. "Tomorrow will be another fight. I just have to remain focussed," said Almagro. "Philipp and I know each other very well and he's a great player on this surface."

Kohlschreiber, the 2008 champion, advanced to his seventh quarter-final in eight tournament appearances, topping wild card Ryan Harrison 4-6, 6-4, 6-3. "My physical condition was pretty good today. We had some great points," said Kohlschreiber. "It was good for my confidence level. The longer the match went, the better I read his serve. Maybe he got a bit frustrated by that, I don't know."

The German won 75 per cent of his first serve points and broke the American teenager five times to seal the win in one hour and 56 minutes.  "I've had seven quarter-finals in eight appearances in Auckland... it's a pretty good record," Kohlschreiber said. "I really enjoy coming here. It's a great centre court, relaxed atmosphere, and it gives me good energy."

Third seed Fernando Verdasco opened his campaign with a 7-5, 7-6(3) victory over Argentina’s Carlos Berlocq, while Guillermo Garcia-Lopezmade it four wins out of four for Spanish contenders on Wednesday with a 6-2, 6-3 win over France’s Adrian Mannarino.

Two seeded players came a cropper in second-round action. France’sBenoit Paire rallied from a set down to oust No. 4 Juan Ignacio Chela 5-7, 6-2, 6-2, while Olivier Rochus of Belgium upset sixth-seeded BrazilianThomaz Bellucci 7-6(6), 5-7, 7-6(5) a match lasting three hours and 12 minutes