By Tennis Now | Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Albert Ramos-Vinolas saved three match points fighting past Sam Querrey, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3), in Vienna.
Photo credit: Shanghai Rolex Masters Facebook
Spanish imposition sent seeds packing from Vienna.
Spanish left-hander Albert Ramos-Vinolas fought off three match points roaring back from a set down outdueling sixth-seeded Sam Querrey, 3-6, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3).
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It was Ramos-Vinolas’ fourth victory over the Wimbledon semifinalist in as many meetings. Three of those four wins have gone the three-set distance.
It was a day of frustration for Querrey, who cracked 26 aces and erased 12 of 14 break points.
Querrey held two match points in the second-set tie break and another match point on Ramos-Vinolas’ serve in the 10th game of the decider.
Unable to land his first serve on crucial points, Querrey erupted in a rare racquet-smashing show of frustration. The American was up a mini-break at 2-1 in the third-set tie break when Ramos-Vinolas answered with four points in a row.
Finishing points on the slower hard court proved problematic for Querrey, who wacked a forehand into net—his third forehand error of the tie break—to go down 2-5. Another netted forehand down the line from Querrey gave Ramos-Vinolas three match points.
Sliding a serve out wide, Ramos-Vinolas closed a gripping triumph in two hours, 52 minutes. He will play Jan-Lennard Struff for a quarterfinal spot.
Home favorite Dominic Thiem converted four of eight break points dispatching Andrey Rublev, 6-4, 6-3.
The second-seeded Austrian will play Richard Gasquet in a battle of one-handed backhands for a quarterfinal spot. The 31-year-old Gasquet won their lone prior meeting in Basel two years ago.
Spanish qualifier Guillermo Garcia-Lopez downsized US Open finalist Kevin Anderson, 6-4, 6-4, for his first Top 20 win since 2015.
The 34-year-old Garcia-Lopez grinded down the big-serving South African and won the longer baseline exchanges, saving four of five break points. Anderson fell to 3-5 since the US Open final.
Kyle Edmund toppled 2015 Vienna champion David Ferrer, 6-2, 7-6 (6), avenging a 2016 Vienna defeat to the former world No. 3.
The 63rd-ranked Edmund set up a round of 16 clash against Austrian qualifier Dennis Novak.
In a quirk of the draw, Novak defeated Thomas Fabbiano, 7-6 (4), 7-5—his second victory over the Italian in a recent days. Novak edged Fabbiano, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, in the final round of qualifying. Despite the defeat Fabbiano gained entry into the main draw as a lucky loser when third-seeded Grigor Dimitrov withdrew.
Lucas Pouille pounded out a 6-3, 6-4 decision over Austrian wild card Sebastian Ofner. Pouille hit 10 aces and won 30 of 33 first-serve points in a one hour, 26-minute victory.
It was Pouille’s second win in his last seven matches and sends him into round of 16 meeting with Garcia-Lopez.