Bernard Tomic survived a stern test in Shenzhen after beating Ryan Harrison 6-4 4-6 7-5.
Despite being the clear favourite the Australian number two didn’t have it his own way as both players exchanged breaks at the start of the opening set. As the match progressed Tomic grew in confidence with the world number 22 broke in the tenth game to take the opener 6-4.
Despite the strong start from the Australian, Harrison is used to challenges. At the US Open he overcame a lacklustre Milos Raonic, and once again he was up for another challenge today as he only needed the one break to grab the second set 6-4 and forced a decider.
In the third set and both men started well, however, it was the American who came the closest to break in the third game but the 23 year old Australian held firm to keep up the pace with Harrison. This determination would evidently give Tomic his reward as he broke in the 12th game to avoid a tiebreak and more importantly seal the match in just over two hours.
The win secured Tomic his seventh quarterfinal of the season. The former grand slam quarter-finalist will now play Brazilian Thomaz Bellucci in the last eight, who produced a composed victory over Italian lucky loser Thomas Fabbiano. Bellucci produced 13 aces in his 7-6(2) 7-6(4) win over Fabbiano.
Meanwhile, in the top half of the draw, defending champion Tomas Berdych secured a solid 7-6(7) 7-6(4) win over Mikhail Kukushkin. In the opening phases, both men took a steady approach to the match, with Berdych wasting three break point opportunities in the third game. As a result of both men wasting their chances, the first set resulted in a tiebreak, which Berdych held his nerve to take 9-7.
The second set saw both men taking their opportunities, with four breaks of serve occurring in the set. Yet again, both men cancelled each other out, and for a second time forcing a tiebreak. Again Berdych had the killer instinct of a shark and took the tiebreak 7-4, to wrap up the match in just under two hours. Despite a straight sets win for the world number seven, Berdych said that the win “wasn’t easy at all.”
Berdych will now play eighth seed and fellow countryman Jiri Vesely, who edged past Inigo Cervantes 7-6(2) 6-3. Vesely won 41 of his 48 first serve points during his latest victory.
