Los Angeles: Sam Querrey got off to a successful start at the ATP Winston-Salem tournament by reaching the third round with a 6-3, 6-7 (5/7), 7-5 win over Guillermo Garcia-Lopez.
“It’s been a solid year so far,” said American Querrey, who fired 24 aces in Tuesday’s match on centre court.
“I don’t feel a tonne of pressure. I’m just trying to feel good, just trying to play some good matches. The fans are great here. They’re really supportive. They get behind the Americans, so that was nice.”
Querrey won 86 per cent of his first-serve points and saved nine of 10 break points. He next plays Viktor Troicki of Serbia, who defeated Kyle Edmund of Great Britain 6-3, 7-5.
Second-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Great Britain’s Aljaz Bedene 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
Bautista Agut, who has won two hard-court tournaments this year, next faces number 14 seed Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus, who eliminated American Donald Young 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.
Third-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay had an easier time in getting past Malek Jaziri of Tunisia 7-5, 6-1.
Cuevas’ next opponent will be 16th-seeded Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain, who eliminated Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 6-4, 7-5.
France’s Gilles Simon was upset in his opening match for the second year in a row. He lost to Diego Schwartzman of Argentina 7-6 (2), 6-1.
World number five Rafael Nadal will, meanwhile, play in the Brisbane International next year, organisers said on Wednesday, the first time the Spaniard has kicked off his season in Australia.
The tournament, held in the eastern city of Brisbane in January ahead of the Australian Open, was last won by big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic who defeated Roger Federer in the final.
“It’s going to be the first time in my career that I’m going to play in Australia the first week of the season and I’m really excited about it,” 14-time Grand Slam champion Nadal said in a statement.
“I think this is something I have to do during my career and I think at the same time it’s going to be a great preparation to be in Australia early.”
The tournament’s director Geoff Quinlan said organisers had been in talks with the 30-year-old for several years and said Nadal would be a big drawcard for fans.
“This is just the start of a very exciting line-up of players we will announce over the coming months,” he added.
The Brisbane International will be held from January 1 to 8 in the lead-up to the Australian Open.
