Former top-40 player Borna Coric recovered from the brink of defeat to overcome an inspired Reda El Amrani 6-2, 3-6, 7-6(5), in the second round of the Grand Prix Hassan in Morocco.
Separated by almost 600 places in the Emirates ranking, on paper Coric seemed destined to triumph in straight sets over the North African teenager. In reality it was everything but straightforward for the Croat against El Amrani, who progressed to the last 16 after Frederico Delbonis withdrew due to injury.
Playing under the Moroccan Sun, Coric was two points away from a shock defeat after getting broken midway through the third set. 18-year-old El Amrani had a chance to serve for the biggest win of his life at 5-3, but failed to shut out his more experienced rival. Eventually the crises was averted as Coric claimed four consecutive points in the final tiebreak to move into the quarter-finals.
Very difficult match today. Didn’t play my best, but hats of to Reda El Amrani. Survived, going to be back for more on Friday. #Marrakech pic.twitter.com/ol9TyiK2de
— borna coric (@borna_coric) 12 April 2017
Coric’s 161-minute triumph was sealed with the help of a 65% winning service rate and he saved eight out of the 11 break points he face.
His reward will be a last eight meeting against Spanish second seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas. The world No.24 battled past qualifier Laslo Djere 6-7(4), 6-1, 6-4, in a two-and-a-half-hour epic. Ramos-Vinolas, who has only ever won an ATP title on the clay, secured the critical break at 4-4 in the decider when a shot from him landed just on the baseline, gifting him a chance to serve for the win. Victory was finally sealed following an error from Djere. Marrakech is the fifth clay-court tournament that the Spaniard has reached the quarterfinals at this season.
The upcoming clash will be the second meeting between the two players and their first on the clay. Ramos-Vinolas won their maiden meeting in straight sets at the 2016 Australian Open.
