Richard Gasquet beats Nick Kyrgios to face Kevin Anderson at Japan Open in Tokyo
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Friday 5 October 2018 17:32, UK
Richard Gasquet squeezed past Nick Kyrgios 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (7-1) in a close battle to reach the Japan Open quarter-finals.
Only one space separates the pair in the world rankings - with Gasquet at No 25 and Kyrgios at No 27 - but it was the former who will face Wimbledon runner-up Kevin Anderson for a place in the semi-finals on Friday.
"Kevin is a top 10 player and has been in the Wimbledon and US Open finals so I have nothing to lose," Gasquet said.
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"I know what I have to do to beat him but I also know it will be very tough."
Second seed Anderson dispatched American youngster Frances Tiafoe, despite dropping the second set, to win 6-3 3-6 6-2 as the world No 9 seeks qualification for the season-ending ATP Finals at The O2 in London.
It was the second day in a row Anderson has been pushed the distance in Tokyo, dropping the first set against world No 48 Matthew Ebden on Wednesday, but the South African recovered to win 4-6 7-6 (7-1) 6-2.
Elsewhere at the Japan Open, world No 15 Stefanos Tsitsipas survived a mid-match meltdown to beat Australia's 19-year-old Alex de Minaur 6-3 5-7 6-1 in a battle of the rising stars.
The 20-year-old Greek will face local hero Kei Nishikori for a place in the last four after the fifth seed came through an absorbing contest in two hours and 20 minutes.
Tsitsipas feels he has the weapons to upset world No 12 Nishikori - who defeated Benoit Paire on Wednesday - despite squandering two match points to surrender the second set.
"I expect a tough match against him," he said. "Obviously he's playing at home so he's going to be super-pumped to do well. I need to be well prepared for that battle."
Germany's Jan-Lennard Struff continued his dream run in Tokyo as the world No 56, who dumped out top seed Marin Cilic in the first round, produced a 7-6 (7-3) 6-7 (2-7) (6-4) win over France's Jeremy Chardy.
Struff next faces Denis Shapovalov after the Canadian knocked out three-time Grand Slam winner Stan Wawrinka late on Wednesday.
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Tennis is back on Sky Sports screens with the Japan Open & China Open in October while we will also have coverage of the ATP Finals in November with every match live on Sky Sports.
