Milos Raonic overcame Fernando Verdasco for the second time in four days as he progressed to the second round in Memphis.
Canadian youngster gets better of Spaniard again
Canadian wildcard Milos Raonic overcame Fernando Verdasco for the second time in four days as he progressed to the second round of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis.
The big-serving 20-year-old beat Verdasco on Sunday in the final of the SAP Open in San Jose to clinch his maiden ATP Tour title and repeated the dose on Wednesday.
Having needed two tie-breaks to get past the Spaniard last weekend, Raonic this time required three sets to triumph but ultimately recorded a 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-5) success.
In a tense finale, the players traded breaks late in the decider to set up another tie-break and once again it was Raonic who came out on top.
The Serbian-born youngster eventually closed out victory in a little over two hours and will now face Czech Radek Stepanek in the next round.
In other first round matches played on Wednesday, Australian Lleyton Hewitt ousted Taiwanese seventh seed Yen-Hsun Lu 6-4 7-6 (7-3), while Juan Martin Del Potro claimed another solid victory on his comeback from long-term injury as he accounted for sixth seed John Isner.
The Argentine was highly impressive as he defeated his big-serving American opponent in straight sets, winning 6-4 6-3.
Ninth seed Xavier Malisse departed the tournament as he was forced to retire with a wrist injury against France's Florent Serra when 1-0 down in the second set having lost the opener 6-2.
There are already two Americans in the last eight as Mardy Fish and Robert Kendrick both won their second round matches.
Fish needed a final-set tie-break to get past Slovakia's Lukas Lacko 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 7-6 (7-3), while Kendrick ousted compatriot James Blake in straight sets, 7-6 (7-5) 6-3.
