Pospisil, Sock advance to ATP Atlanta quarters

24 July 2014 08:55

Canadian fourth seed Vasek Pospisil and American Jack Sock, who combined to win the Wimbledon doubles title, advanced to the ATP Atlanta Open quarter-finals with straight-set victories Wednesday.

Pospisil fired 10 aces to defeat Ukraine's Illya Marchenko 7-5, 6-3 in 93 minutes while Sock beat New Zealand qualifier Michael Venus 6-4, 6-2 at the $568,000 hardcourt event, an early US Open warm-up tournament.

"It wasn't easy. It was very hot and humid," Pospisil said. "It was difficult to find a balance between saving my energy and being focused. I think I balanced both really well. I won the big points. That was key."

Sock saved the only two break points he faced and won 27 of 29 points on his first serve to win in 67 minutes. Sock will next face Slovakian Lukas Lacko, who rallied to oust Uzbek sixth seed Denis Istomin 5-7, 6-1, 6-4.

Pospisil booked a last-eight date with Israel's Dudi Sela, who eliminated American Sam Querrey 6-2, 6-4.

Taiwan seventh seed Lu Yen-Hsun took a 6-4, 6-4 first-round victory over American Alex Kuznetsov. He faces German Benjamin Becker next.

Source: AFP