Christopher Eubanks rode his towering serve to a come-from-behind victory over fellow American Brandon Nakashima to cost into the Atlanta Open quarter-finals Wednesday night time.
With Nakashima adopting an aggressive service stance, the 21-year-old earned seven break factors all through the match – together with three at 0/40 within the remaining recreation – however fifth-seeded Eubanks held agency each time en path to a 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-5 win.
“I like to consider myself as a server and servers make their title serving out units, serving out matches and consolidating breaks,” Eubanks mentioned. “I survived 15/40 earlier within the set after which in that remaining recreation Brandon got here up with some good returns and the brand new balls obtained again on me fairly shortly.
“I instructed myself it was the regulation of averages. I’ve held each single recreation. I went again to what I do know, belief in myself, hit my spots and I got here up with some massive serves.,” mentioned Eubanks, who has gained 11 of his previous 12 matches, stretching again to his title run on the ATP 250 in Mallorca on grass.
Eubanks fired 21 aces however had not earned a break level on Nakashima’s serve till the ninth recreation of the second set when he caught fireplace, breaking the 21-year-old to like, helped by one explosive 99 mph forehand winner. He closed out the set within the subsequent recreation and within the decider he fended off two break factors in his opening service recreation earlier than breaking to fifteen within the tenth recreation.
Eubanks, who hit 51 winners, is thru to his second quarter-final in Atlanta and can subsequent play World No. 82 Australian Aleksandar Vukic, who upset fourth seed Yoshihito Nishioka 4-6, 7-5, 7-6(3) in brutally sizzling circumstances in the course of the day session.
Brandon Nakashima in motion Wednesday on the Atlanta Open.” />
Two-time event champion Alex de Minaur improved to 10-1 at Atlantic Station after rallying from an early break down within the second set to defeat fellow Aussie Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-3, 6-4 in a first-time assembly between the Australians.
Kokkinakis paid the value for placing simply 55 per cent of first serves into play, an issue compounded by De Minaur dominating on second serve returns, profitable 56 per cent of these factors.
De Minaur went down an early break within the second set earlier than upping his aggression. “I let him dictate an excessive amount of so I attempted to step in and play on my phrases, which is what obtained me the primary set,” De Minaur mentioned of his revival. “I’m glad to reside and struggle one other day.
“Thanasi is an excellent buddy. We all know one another properly and simply yesterday we had been hanging out all day. It’s all the time difficult to play a mate.”
The 24-year-old, who at No. 17 within the Pepperstone ATP Rankings is simply two locations under his career-hgh mark, superior to the quarter-finals, the place he’ll meet Frenchman Ugo Humbert, who took out South Africa’s Lloyd Harris 7-6(6), 6-4.