Buenos Aires, Argentina (Sports Network) - Last year's runner-up and 2011 champion Nicolas Almagro posted a second-round victory Thursday at the clay- court Copa Claro tennis event.

The second-seeded world No. 11 Almagro handled Russian Andrey Kuznetsov 7-6 (7-5), 6-2.

Almagro, who gave way to David Ferrer in last year's all-Spanish finale at Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club, will face Argentine Federico Delbonis in Friday's quarterfinals.

*Ferrer was also a runner-up here in 2010

*last week's Sao Paulo runner-up to Rafael Nadal -- Argentine tennis hero David Nalbandian

*The former Wimbledon runner-up Nalbandian titled in Buenos Aires in 2008.

In other action involving seeds, No. 6 Italian Fabio Fognini topped Argentine lucky-loser Marco Trungelliti 7-5, 6-2 and No. 8 Spaniard Albert Ramos got past Argentine Leonardo Mayer 6-3, 7-6 (7-3).

Former Buenos Aires champion and former world No. 5 Tommy Robredo, of Spain, whipped Argentine wild card Diego Sebastian Schwartzman 6-3, 6-1 on Day 4.

Also on Thursday, German qualifier Julian Reister edged out Slovenian Aljaz Bedene 6-1, 1-6, 6-2 and the wild card Delbonis straight-setted Spaniard Albert Montanes 6-1, 6-4.

This week's champ will pocket $84,550.

The Sports Network