TOKYO: Australian tennis player Nick Kyrgios registered a 3-6, 6-2, 6-2 victory against Poland's Kamil Majchrzak to reach the quarterfinals of the Japan Open Tennis Championships, here on Thursday.
After a shaky start to his second-round match, the Aussie grew frustrated as he played a loose opening service game in falling behind 0-3. The 27-year old could not create a break chance in the set.
But after saving a break point in the opening game of set two, Kyrgios did not face another as he expertly turned the match around to advance to the quarter-finals.
The fifth seed finished with 22 aces and won 84 per cent (36/43) of his first-serve points.
The Australian was pleased with his "really high level" in the final two sets, and will seek to continue that form in the quarterfinals against either third seed Taylor Fritz or Japan's Hiroki Moriya. The pair are set to square off in Thursday's final evening match.
Frances Tiafoe came through a second set battle on Thursday to reach the quarter-finals, then said he wasn't bothered by rising expectations because "I wanna win for me".
The 24-year-old American, who has been in the spotlight since beating Rafael Nadal on the way to a first Grand Slam semi-final at the US Open last month, beat Spaniard Bernabe Zapata Miralles 6-1, 7-6 (9/7) in the second round.
He will face Miomir Kecmanovic in the last eight, after the Serb beat Britain's Dan Evans 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7/4). Agencies
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