Seventh-seed Martin Klizan from Slovakia overcame Lukas Rosol 6-3 2-6 7-6 (8-6) in two hours and four minutes to become the first player to reach the quarter finals at the Garanti Koza Sofia Open. The Slovakian player will face Andreas Seppi or Thiemo De Bakker in the next round.
Klizan has reached the quarter final for the first time since Metz last September. Klizan won just five points more than Rosol in a close match. Klizan broke on his first return game and held his service games to seal the first set. Rosol earned a break point in the last game but Klizan saved it.
Rosol did not face any break points and dropped just six points on serve in the second set. Rosol opened up a 5-2 lead after breaking serve in the sixth game of the decider but Klizan broke back to claw his way into the match before clinching the win with 7-4 in the tie-break.
Adrian Mannarino fended off all the three break point chances he faced in his 6-2 7-5 win over Evgeny Donskoy in 83 minutes. Mannarino broke serve in his first return game. Donskoy won just 50 percent of his points on serve and struggled to hold his serve in the first set. Mannarino got a double break in the eighth game to close out the first set.
Donskoy brought up two break point chances in the third game of the second set but faile to convert them. Donskoy played a better second set but Mannarino broke him in the 12th game to clinch the second set 7-5.
With this win the Frenchman draw level to 1-1 in his head-to-level matches against Donskoy. Mannarino will play against Marius Copil for a spot in the quarter finals.
Daniel Brands beat Thomas Fabbiano 7-6 (7-5) 6-3 setting up a second-round match against this year’s Sydney champion Viktor Troicki. Brands hit 16 aces but struggled on his second serve. Both players broke serve twice in the first set. Fabbiano got his second break and served for the first set at 5-3 but he was not able to serve it out. Brands broke serve before winning the first set at the tie-break with 7-5. Brands broke serve in the second game but he had to fend off seven break points before closing out the second set 6-3.
Lithuanian Ricardas Berankis overcame Dimitar Kuzmanov 6-3 2-6 6-3 to score his second win of the season. Berankis got ne break more than Kuzmanov but the Bulgarian player forced the match to the decider and had his chances in the third set. There were four breaks of serve in the opening set. Berankis broke serve three times to win the the first set 6-3. He won 60 percent on his return. Kuzmanov got a double break to win the second set 6-2. Berankis broke serve in the fourth game of the third set but Kuzmanov earned four break back point chances but could not convert any of them.
Guillermo Garcia Lopez got a break of serve for each set to beat Mirza Basic 6-3 6-4.
