‘s-Hertogenbosch: Australia’s Alex de Minaur romped into the quarterfinals of the Libema Open in ‘s-Hertogenbosch on Thursday making a winning start in the ATP Tour event played on grass. The Australian held off Zizou Bergs for a 7-5, 6-4 opening victory as he competes as the top seed for the first time in his tour-level career.
The World No. 9 handled the pressure with aplomb as he rallied from an early 1-4 deficit to notch a straight-sets win in one hour and 41 minutes. De Minaur won 86 percent (32/37) of points behind his first serve, according to Infosys ATP Stats, to extend his winning record against Belgian opponents to 7-0. He has now won his past seven opening rounds on grass, and the 25-year-old will next take on Roberto Bautista Agut or Milos Raonic in the quarterfinals
There was double American joy earlier in the day in the Netherlands, where Tommy Paul and Sebastian Korda both won to ensure they would face off in the quarter-finals.
The second-seeded Paul pulled through a sticky start to his grass-court season to register a 5-7, 6-4, 6-3 triumph against Alexei Popyrin. It was the World No. 13’s first victory in three attempts in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, where he is now into his fifth tour-level quarterfinal on grass.
Korda battled past Luca Nardi 7-5, 7-5 to reach the last eight on his event debut. The seventh seed leads Paul 3-1 in the pair’s ATP head-to-head series: Korda beat his countryman three times at the ATP 250 level in 2021 before Paul prevailed in five sets at the 2022 US Open. None of their previous clashes were played on grass.
In a match that began on Wednesday evening, Aleksandar Vukic overcame fourth seed Karen Khachanov 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(4). The pair returned to court on Thursday afternoon at one set all, and it was the Australian World No. 87 who held his nerve to complete the upset and reach his maiden ATP Tour quarterfinal on grass. Vukic will next take on defending champion and home favourite Tallon Griekspoor.
–IANS