Photo Credit: Mark Howard

(April 21, 2010) Veterans bit the dust on the dirt in Barcelona today.

Fourth-seeded Fernando Gonzalez failed to survive the first hurdle in falling to 161st-ranked Spanish qualifier Albert Ramos-Vinolas at the Barcelona Open.

Playing his first ATP Tour-level main draw of the season, Ramos-Vinolas made the lone break of the third set stand with a 6-4, 6-7(8), 6-3 win over Gonzalez.

It is the first time this season that Gonzalez, ranked 149 places above Ramos-Vinolas, lost his opening match in a tournament. Gonzalez was a semifinalist last year.

The 22-year-old Ramos-Vinolas, who beat American Michael Russell in the opening round to earn his first career ATP Tour-level win, will play Ernests Gulbis for a quarterfinal spot. Gulbis ground down Jeremy Chardy, 6-3, 6-2.

The day began with an upset as Argentine Eduardo Schwank, who was fined after his Houston loss to Juan Ignacio Chela for lack of best effort, toppled 12th-seeded Lleyton Hewitt, 7-6, 6-4.

Former World No. 1 Juan Carlos Ferrero continued his career revival.

The 30-year-old Spaniard advanced when Sergiy Stakhovsky retired due to an injury to both his hamstrings with Ferrero leading 6-3, 4-2.  Ferrero, who won Costa do Sauipe and Buenos Aires, raised his clay-court record to an ATP-best 18-2 this season.