The dream continues for Alejandro Tabilo. After his exploit against world No. 1 Novak Djokovic on Sunday, he eliminated Karen Khachanov in the round of 16 in Rome (7-6 [5]7-6 [10]). The Chilean qualifies for his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.
The 32nd player in the world (26 years old) put up a great battle to win both sets in the tie-break against the Russian. Taking advantage of a regular first ball (81% on his first serve), the Chilean held his own against the 18th in the world by maintaining the pace in the tie-break to secure the first set. The scenario of the second set was almost identical with two players going blow for blow.
In a stifling tie-break, Khachanov took the upper hand by offering himself two set points, but Tabilo did not give in by equalizing before taking an option by having a first match point on the Russian’s serve. But the 32nd in the world had to wait for the third match point on his serve to deliver a volley to the net and collapse on the court to celebrate a new feat in Rome.
A 24-point tie-break
In the other round of 16 of the morning, the fight was intense between Taylor Fritz and Grigor Dimitrov. But it was the 26-year-old American who was the most skillful, first winning a one-sided first round, helped by the Bulgarian’s clumsiness (6 double faults and 11 unforced errors). However, the world No. 10 delivered a very high level second round to resist Fritz’s 7 aces.
On the verge of elimination in the tie-break, Dimitrov had a hard time getting back on track by missing 7 set points, including one at the net which passed a few millimeters from the line. But deliverance came at the end of exhaustion. A riot of energy which was fatal to the Bulgarian who fell back into his faults (4 double faults) while the American chained aces (13 in the match).
Taylor Fritz also reached the quarter-finals in Rome for the first time in his career. The American will face the winner of the duel between Alexander Zverev and Nuno Borges.
