GIJON, 14 OCt: Top seed Andrey Rublev beat a spirited Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals of the inaugural Gijon Open hard court tournament on Thursday.
The Russian world number nine became bad tempered during the win, frustrated by some of his own inaccurate shots as he struggled to see off his Belarusian opponent and good friend in the second set.
Rublev roared in anger and then twice smashed his racquet into his own knee after making two mistakes which allowed Ivashka to hold his serve to move 4-5 ahead, before forcing a third set.
However Rublev, 24, served brilliantly in the third and broke to go 4-3 up when Ivashka mishit a smash into the net. He served out for the win, sealed with an ace slapped down the ‘T’.
Rublev, aiming to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, will face American Tommy Paul in the quarter-finals on Friday.
Earlier Briton Andy Murray, given a wildcard for the tournament, beat Pedro Cachin 2-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3).
Murray, playing in his first tournament since the Laver Cup in September, will face Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut or American Sebastian Korda in the quarter-finals.
Dominic Thiem plays Francisco Cerundolo and Pablo Carreno-Busta is up against Arthur Rinderknech in the other last-eight clashes. (AFP)