LONDON - Former top 10 Argentines David Nalbandian and Guillermo Canas negotiated the tough transition to grass to make it through to the second round at Wimbledon on Tuesday.
Nalbandian, the 23rd seed who has failed to live up to the promise of finishing runner-up in 2002, beat Mischa Zverev of Germany 6-3 6-4 6-2 in the first round.
Canas, seeded 22 and working his way back towards the top 10 after a doping ban, overcame Ivan Navarro Pastor of Spain 7-6 6-3 6-1 after winning the tiebreak 7-3 to settle the first set.
The pair were joined by teenager Juan Martin del Potro, who promises a brighter future on fast surfaces than his claycourt favouring compatriots.
Of the record 14 Argentine men in the world's top 100, nine were in action on Tuesday and five went through to the second round.
Del Potro completed a 3-6 6-3 6-4 6-4 win over Italian Davide Sanguinetti, his second victory in four grand slam tournaments.
The 18-year-old faces top seed and world number one Roger Federer on Wednesday, looking to upset the Swiss world number one's bid to win the tournament for the fifth time in a row.
"My service will be fundamental. If I can maintain my standard of serve and be solid with that shot, the match will be even," del Potro told Reuters looking ahead to the second round match on Court One.
Before facing Sanguinetti, Del Potro had not played at Wimbledon since 2004, when he had his first experience on grass as a 15-year-old in the All England Club's junior tournament.
"Since then I had never again stepped on grass," he said.
"I prepared well for this tournament. I've been playing on grass for a month. I played in three previous tournaments and I think the objective was to arrive here well prepared, something not all the Argentines do. The majority after Roland Garros went to Argentina."
Nalbandian, however, believes Juan Ignacio Chela, seeded one place below him at number 24, and Agustin Calleri, the 29th seed, can go far.
Calleri beat Peru's Luis Horna 6-2 7-6 7-5 and Chela completed a five-set victory over Benjamin Becker of Germany. Down two sets to one and 3-3 overnight, Chela won 3-6 4-6 6-4 6-4 10-8.
Nalbandian told reporters he was pleased with his returns but not with his serving on the moist grass.
"The way you play the ball changes (in this damp weather). The ball is slower and heavier but we're all playing in the same conditions," he said.
"Chela is very solid and can keep advancing, Calleri has more chances because he can beat anyone on his day."
Ecuador's Nicolas Lapentti, another former top 10 player, was the only non-Argentine among the South Americans in action on Tuesday to advance, beating Kevin Kim of the U.S. 2-6 6-2 4-6 6-3 6-4.
