Borna Coric hits a forehand return against Tomas Berdych (Supplied photo)
Dubai - Coric beats Berdych 1-6 6-1 7-6 (7/4)
Published: Thu 28 Feb 2019, 10:59 PM
Sixth seeded Croatian Borna Coric recorded his first victory over veteran Czech Republic player Tomas Berdych on fourth attempt to enter the quarterfinals for the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday.
On a day when top seed Kei Nishikori and defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut crashed out of the tournament, the 22-year-old Coric came back from a set down to beat Berdych, a former world number four, 1-6 6-1 7-6 (7/4).
Coric's come-from-behind victory was impressive especially because the hugely experienced Berdych, the 2010 Wimbledon runner-up who also has also made four Grand Slam appearances, made a flying start in the first set.
"I wasn't sure what was happening in the first set. I actually scared of losing 6-0 6-0," Coric said after the match.
"But in the second set, I started to serve much better. I was hitting the ball very well from the second set," said Coric who will face Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia in Thursday's quarterfinal.
"I played him on grass. I have very nice memories of that match. But obviously tomorrow is going to be a completely different match. I need to rest now after two very long days," said the Croatian who overcame Lucky Loser Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic (7-5 3-6 7-6 (7/4) in a grueling first round encounter that lasted two hours and 49 minutes on Tuesday night.
Earlier, second seed Roger Federer beat Fernando Verdasco of Spain 6-3 3-6 6-3 and fifth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas of Greece beat Belarusian qualifier Egor Gerasimov 6-3 6-1.
RESULTS
Wednesday
Singles
(6) Borna Coric (Croatia) beat Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic) 1-6 6-1 7-6 (7/4)
(2) Roger Federer (Switzerland) beat Fernando Verdasco (Spain) 6-3 3-6 6-3
Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) beat (1) Kei Nishikori (Japan) 7-5 5-7 6-2
(3) Gael Monfils (France) beat (WC) Marcos Baghdatis (Cyprus) 6-3 6-2
(Q) Richard Berankis (Lithuania) beat Denis Kudla (US) 6-4 6-1
Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia) beat Roberto Bautista Agut (Spain) 6-7 (2/7) 6-4 6-3
(5) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) beat (Q) Egor Gerasimov (Belarus) 6-3 6-1
Marton Fucsovics (Hungary) beat Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) 6-4 6-2
ORDER OF PLAY THURSDAY
CENTRE COURT
3pm
(3) Gael Monfils (France) vs (Q) Richard Berankis (Lithuania)
Followed by
(5) Stefanos Tsitsipas (Greece) vs Hubert Hurkacz (Poland)
Not before 7pm
Marton Fucsovics (Hungary) vs (2) Roger Federer (Switzerland)
Followed by
(6) Borna Coric (Croatia) vs Nikoloz Basilashvili (Georgia)
Doubles
Court One
(Time TBA)
(Q) Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan (India)/Purav Raja (India) vs Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany)/ Fernando Verdasco (Spain)
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