Top seed leaves Las vegas

Top seed Fernando Gonzalez came a cropper in the Las vegas Open as he was knocked out in the second round 6-3 7-6 by Evgeny Korolev.

Chilean top seed exits Las Vegas Open.

Top seed Fernando Gonzalez came a cropper in the Las vegas Open as he was knocked out in the second round 6-3 7-6 by Evgeny Korolev. Chilean world number 23 Gonzalez lasted just 90 minutes against his Russian opponent before his title challenge ended in Las Vegas. After being brushed aside comfortably in the opening set on the Stadium Court, but made a better fist of things in the second, battling back from a break down to break back and level at 5-5. Gonzalez then forced the tiebreaker, but Korolev dominated that and won it 7-4 to book his place in the next round at the expense of the top seed. 20-year-old Korolev lost to Gonzalez in their only previous meeting at last year's Australian Open, but now goes through to face either American wildcard John Isner or South African qualifier Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals. Gonzalez's exit makes it six seed who have now been knocked out in Vegas, with the top two both out as Lleyton Hewitt was beaten on Wednesday. Latvia's Ernests Gulbis thrashed Peter Luczak of Australia 6-2 6-1 to book a place in the last eight against either third-seeded Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus or American Robby Ginepri.