It was a good day for the favourites and a bad day for the Americans on Wednesday at the China Open, as three of the four seeded players in action were victorious, while all the Americans in the draw were sent packing in their first or second round matches. Here’s what happened on day three in Beijing.
Results
Top seed Andy Murray was dominant in his second round match, dropping just three games in a straight-sets win over Andrey Kuznetsov. While his serving left a bit to be desired, the top seed was on point on return in the opening set, breaking in every single return game (while surrendering two breaks of his own) in a wild opening set. It was more of the same in the second, as Kuznetsov was sent packing in a match where he failed to hold serve once.
In the quarterfinals, Murray will take on countryman Kyle Edmund, who pulled the upset of the day by delivering a critical blow to Roberto Bautista Agut’s Race to London hopes by toppling the seventh seed in three sets. A late break was enough for Edmund in the opening set before Bautista Agut emerged victorious in a wild second set that saw five breaks of serve, including as Edmund served to stay in the set at 4-5. The break points continued to come fast and furious, but there were fewer breaks and Edmund was able to hang on and secure a 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 victory.
David Ferrer set a battle of the old guard versus the next generation in the quarterfinals by defeating Fabio Fognini in straight sets. The Spanish veteran will take on the red-hot teenager Alexander Zverev in the quarters after he knocked off Jack Sock in straight sets. Both men had nearly identical matches, holding their serves from start to finish and getting the few breaks they needed (although Zverev grabbed an insurance break in the second set of his match) to set up the quarterfinal clash.
First round matches were still taking place on Wednesday, led by eighth seed Richard Gasquet. The Frenchman fell behind early, losing four straight games to surrender the opening set to Sam Querrey, but the eighth seed rallied, breaking three times in the second set before pulling off a four-game run of his own to close out the match 2-6, 6-3, 6-2.
The match of the day saw Grigor Dimitrov outlast Steve Johnson in a tight three-setter 7-5, 6-7(9), 6-4 in two hours and 45 minutes. Despite dropping serve in his first game, Dimitrov would quickly reclaim the break and scored another late to take the opening set. After trading breaks again early in the second, Johnson saved four match points in the second set tiebreak to send the match to a decider. In the end, the American’s comeback fell short, as he was broken late again to seal his fate.
In other action, Malek Jaziri took down Guido Pella in straight sets, while Adrian Mannarino emerged victorious in a three-set tussle with Albert Ramos-Vinolas. Pablo Carreno Busta caused a minor upset by blowing past Bernard Tomic with the loss of just four games.
Second round action will be completed tomorrow, headlined by Rafael Nadal and Milos Raonic.