Former tennis world number one Marcelo Rios was defeated by Austrian qualifier Markus Hipfl in the first round of the Buenos Aires Open last night. He later admitted he was struggling to find motivation.
Top seed Gustavo Kuerten of Brazil had no such problems, cruising into the second round with a 6-2 7-6 victory over Australian Richard Fromberg in 70 minutes.
Hipfl sailed to a 6-3 6-1 win over the lethargic third-seeded Chilean, who never got his game going to the frustration of an initially enthusiastic crowd.
"I'm going through a bad patch in my career motivation-wise and no matter how much I want I can't play well," said a disconsolate Rios after his fourth successive first round exit.
Rios, who lost in the first round at Vina del Mar in his native Chile last week, was given a warm reception by the crowd but the early applause turned to jeers as he failed to find his touch.
The home crowd had plenty to cheer about, however, as four more Argentine players advanced to the second round, including a pair of surpris winners.
Jose Acasuso overcame seventh seed Hicham Arazi of Morocco 2-6 7-6 (7-3) 6-4 and Guillermo Coria ousted eighth seed Alex Calatrava of Spain 6-2 6-7 (4-7) 7-5.
Fourth-seeded Argentine Gaston Gaudio beat compatriot Mariano Zabaleta 6-4 6-3, and Hernan Gumy overcame Chile's Nicolas Massu 6-3 6-1.