Rios ousted by Zabaleta

Rios is one of a number of seeds to be knocked out

Click here for Thursday's results from Buenos Aires

Marcelo Rios joined Gustavo Kuerten, Nicolas Lapentti and Alberto Martin in the growing number of seeds knocked out of the AT&T Cup in Buenos Aires.

The former world number one missed out on a place in the quarter-finals when he lost 7-6 1-6 6-3 to Mariano Zabaleta on Thursday.

In the process Zabaleta became the sixth Argentine into the last eight of the tournament.

Rios, seeded seventh, struggled from the outset of the match, falling to a 5-2 deficit in the opening set.

But the Chilean rallied to take it to a tiebreak, which Zabaleta eventually won 7-4.

Zabaleta slipped up during the second set

Rios, now growing in confidence, overwhelmed his opponent in the next set, the Chilean conceding just one game.

But, in front of his home crowd, Zabaleta's nerves settled.

He gained the necessary break to go 4-2 up in the deciding set before sealing it 6-3.

Earlier in the day, last year's beaten finalist, the 19-year-old Jose Acasuso, beat Andrea Gaudenzi 6-4 6-4.

Acasuso, who lost out to Gustavo Kuerten 12 months ago, broke the Italian twice in the opening set before wrapping up the second set in similar fashion.

Afterwards Acasuso said: "I dream about a repeat of last year, but I just have to take each game as it comes."

Argentinian dominance was continued by Gustavo Calleri who beat Kuerten's countryman, Fernando Meligeni 5-7 6-3 6-3 in an error-strewn contest.

In the first match of the day, Spaniard Feliciano Lopez beat fifth seed and compatriot Felix Mantilla 6-3 3-6 6-3.

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Thursday's results from Buenos Aires

Second Round:
Mariano Zabaleta (Arg) bt Marcelo Rios (Chi) 7-6 6-1 6-3
Jose Acasuso (Arg) bt Andrea Gaudenzi (Ita) 6-4 6-4
Gustavo Calleri (Arg) bt Fernando Meligeni (Bra) 5-7 6-3 6-3
Felicano Lopez (Spa) bt Feliz Mantilla (Spa) 6-3 3-6 6-3

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