Second seed Roberto Bautista Agut overcame a slow start to his match to battle past Marcos Baghdatis 4-6, 6-3, 6-1, in the third round of the Winston Salem Open.
The world No.17 managed to break the Cypriot six times in the last two sets to move to the last eight of the tournament. Bautista Agut’s win is sweet revenge for the Spaniard after he lost to Baghdatis in straight sets earlier this year at the Dubai Open.
In the last eight the 28-year-old will play Lu Yen-hsun, who has reached his first ATP quarter-final of the season. The Taiwan world No.72 fired nine aces during his 6-4, 6-0, dismissal of Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman.
Another Spanish player to triumph was Fernando Verdasco, who stunned fourth seed Steve Johnson. The 15th seed fended off three break points to clinch the match 6-4, 7-6(7). The 32-year-old will play Viktor Troicki in the next round.
“I did a great job,” Verdasco told the Winston-Salem Journal. “I was lucky in the important points. First set, I didn’t have many chances with his serve. …
“I was very positive the whole match, feeling good, moving well with the ball, moving myself, the legs and everything.”
Pablo Cuevas became the highest ranked player to exit the tournament. The third seed was no match for the in-form Pablo Carreno Busta, crashing out 6-3, 7-6(1). Carreno Busta will now play in his third consecutive ATP quarter-final on the tour.
The top seed in the tournament, Richard Gasquet, dropped only four games during his 6-3, 6-1, win over compatriot Stephane Robert. Gasquet, who is continuing his comeback to the tour from a back injury, won 66% of his service points and successfully saved seven out of the eight break points he faced. Awiaiting him in the next round will be Australia’s John Millman next.
“I’ve known Stephane for a long time now, so I know how dangerous he can be,” Gasquet said. “He likes to play close to the baseline. We’ve practiced together often, so I know his game and he knows mine. I didn’t make many mistakes today, and that was the difference.”
Gasquet will play in his first quarter-final since the French Open.
