Scorch marks and smiles as Gonzalez advances

By Martyn Herman

LONDON (Reuters) - The scorch marks and splinters of graphite embedded in the glistening turf bore testimony to some Fernando Gonzalez fireworks as the Chilean 10th seed blasted into the men's singles second round on Tuesday.

Gonzalez, who fell in the semi-finals of the French Open after destroying Britain's big Wimbledon hope Andy Murray in the last eight, cranked up his nuclear-powered forehand to dispatch surly Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5 7-5 6-3.

More performances like that and he could become a real threat to Murray again in the quarter-finals, although the tendinitis in his right knee was clearly bothering him as he opened his grasscourt campaign.

Few men on the circuit are as watchable as the 28-year-old in full flow and the fans perched around Court 18 were not shortchanged as he battled with Gabashvili, who beat him at the U.S. Open two years ago in their only previous meeting .

"Vamos Gonzo" was the cry from the flag-waving Chileans crammed into the stands under south-American sunshine.

Gonzalez responded with smiles, jokes, some scintillating tennis -- and one memorable Latin meltdown which had a ball girl ducking for cover and him being issued with a code violation.

In these days of poker-faced players and controlled emotions, Gonzalez lets it all hang out.

One shout of "Go Gonzo baby...you're the man!" from an American man in the crowd was greeted with a grin from the Chilean who is not opposed to some mischievous jousting with the match officials.