Chardy Takes Down Top Seed Mayer in Casablanca

(April 12, 2012) Jeremy Chardy continued his winning ways in 2012 by knocking off top-seeded Florian Mayer in straight sets on Thursday at the Grand Prix Hassan in Casablanca, Morocco. The 6-3, 6-1 victory catapults the world No. 64 to his third ATP World Tour quarterfinal of the season (all on clay).

"I came back from 1-3 behind in the first set,” said Chardy, who reached a career-high ranking of 31 in 2009. “I was playing very aggressively during every point until the end. I hope I can continue like this in my next match.”

Chardy will next face seventh-seeded Albert Ramos in the quarterfinals tomorrow. Ramos, who defeated Victor Hanescu 6-2, 6-4 today, is one of only two remaining seeds in the draw. Chardy and Ramos have never met.

“Against Chardy it will be a difficult match,” said Ramos. “He has very powerful ground strokes and played a good match today."

The 24-year-old Spaniard is at a career-high No. 52 in the ATP rankings.

The other two remaining singles match were washed out by rain today. They will be played tomorrow along with all four quarterfinals.

Third-seeded Spaniard Pablo Andujar, the highest remaining seed left in the draw will face Italian Potito Starace, with the winner to play the winner of today’s other suspended match between Lamine Ouahab and Sergio Gutierrez-Ferol in the quarterfinals.

It should be an interesting match as neither Ouahab (752) nor Gutierrez-Ferol (544) have ever made a tour-level quarterfinal before.

Igor Andreev will meet Guillermo Garcia-Lopez in the third quarterfinal, while Benoit Paire will meet Flavio Cipolla in the fourth.

Click here for the official draw.