Potito Starace meets unseeded Argentine Horacio Zeballos in the quarter-finals of the Movistar Open

Potito Starace is due to face Horacio Zeballos for a place in the final four here in Santiago. Starace was probably expecting to play David Nalbandian in this tie, but Zeballos ruled out that possibility by recording a shock 6-2, 7-5 victory against the No. 1 seed. Starace will now enter this match as the favourite, though he’ll need to work hard to ensure that he doesn’t suffer the same fate as Nalbandian.

Starace has enjoyed a decent start to the year, and carries a 4-2 season record into this match. He’ll no doubt be aware that a win here would put him just two victories away from a maiden ATP World Tour title. Zeballos got his season underway here, so he still holds an unblemished 2-0 record. Another big result today could help him to get towards the top hundred.

These two opponents have only met once previously, back in 2009 in the Czech Republic. Starace won the clay court match 6-2, 6-4, which suggests that Zeballos might have his work cut out today. That said, it doesn’t seem wise to rule out the Argentine after yesterday’s display.