Alexander Zverev continues giant-killing progress in Rotterdam

11 February 2016 11:53

Teenage German wildcard Alexander Zverev produced a shock victory over number three seed Gilles Simon to secure a place in the quarter-finals of the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament.

The 18-year-old came through an epic late-night encounter in Rotterdam, prevailing 7-5 3-6 7-6 (7/4) after almost three hours on court against the world number 15.

Zverev, ranked just 70, dug deep to stay with his experienced opponent and eventually Simon's unforced errors in the tie-break proved costly for the 31-year-old.

Having beaten Canadian Vasek Pospisil in the opening round, Zverev will next meet fifth seed Gael Monfils in Friday's quarter-final.

Earlier on Thursday, Spanish number three Roberto Bautista Agut came from a set down to see off Jiri Vesely 4-6 6-2 6-4.

The 27-year-old world number 17 will take on Martin Klizan after the Slovakian overcame Marcos Baghdatis 6-3 6-2.

Bautista Agut, seeded sixth in Rotterdam, has now won 13 of his past 14 matches, including victory at the Sofia Open last weekend, after recovering composure to eventually come through against the 22-year-old Czech Vesely.

"I didn't start the match well and wasn't focused at all at the start of the match. It took me some time to get the intensity to play him," Bautista Agut said on the ATP website.

"It is good when you're winning matches, but now I will focus on tomorrow."

Elsewhere, veteran French qualifier Nicolas Mahut d efeated Jeremy Chardy 7-5 6-2 to set up a meeting with Viktor Troicki.

The eighth-seeded Serb, who finished runner-up to Bautista Agut in Bulgaria last week, beat Hyeon Chung 7-6 (7/5) 6-2.

On Friday, second seed Marin Cilic is also in action, taking on German Philipp Kohlschreiber for a place in the semi-finals.

Source: PA