Nishikori out as quarters reached in Dubai

The second round  in Dubai threw up some interesting results:

Dubai:

Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships - an ATP 500 category tournament, on Hard Decoturf, in Dubai, UAE, 25 February - 2 March 2019

Defending champion:

Roberto Bautista Agut (3) who defeated Lucas Pouille (2) 6-3 6-4

ATP Second round

• Kei Nishikori (1) v Hubert Hurkacz

Nishikori, despite a woeful first serve percentage of 38 in set one, managed to win a majority of points on the second delivery.

He achieved the only break of serve in the first nine games, granting him the opportunity of serving it out at 5-4.

The Polish opponent denied the expected outcome, not only breaking back, but going a step further, winning eight of the final nine points, to steal the set 7-5, a Japanese forehand failing to clear the net.

Nishikori raced to 4-0 in set two, but once again failed to convert when serving for the set, this time at 5-2.  Hurkacz led 30-0 after levelling at 5-5, but he collapsed just as Nishikori did in the opening set, losing seven points straight and with it the set 5-7.  Five service breaks featured in the set, and as the players entered a decider, only one point separated the pair for the match to date.

A backhand down the line from Hurkacz in the fourth game, confirmed a break of the top seed’s serve.  Hurkacz won three quarters of points on his serve, and never faced a break point.  

Nishikori was attacked mercilessly and surrendered his serve a second time, losing the match in a major upset.

Hubert Hurkacz won 7-5 5-7 6-2, in the process recording his first victory over a top ten player.

• Stefanos Tsitsipas (5) defeated qualifier Egor Gerasimov 6-3 6-1
• Gaël Monfils defeated wildcard Marcos Baghdatis 6-3 6-2
• Qualifier Ricardas Berankis defeated Denis Kudla 6-4 6-1
• Nikoloz Basilashvili defeated Roberto Bautista Agut 6-7(2) 6-4 6-3
• Marton Fucsovics defeated Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4 6-2
• Roger Federer (2) defeated Fernando Verdasco 6-3 3-6 6-3
• Borna Coric (6) defeated Tomas Berdych 1-6 6-1 7-6(4)

Quarter final match ups 

Hubert Hurkacz v Stefanos Tsitsipas (5)

Gaël Monfils v qualifier Ricardas Berankis

Borna Coric (6) v Nikoloz Basilashvili 

Marton Fucsovics v Roger Federer (2)