World number 13 Grigor Dimitrov beat Sebastian Korda 6-1 7-6 (7-5) to reach the quarter finals at the Open 13 in Marseille.
Dimitrov converted two of three break points he earned in the fourth and sixth games of the first set to win the first set 6-1.
Dimitrov converted his third break point in the first game of the second set and held his next three service games to openup a 4-2 lead. Korda broke back in the eighth game to draw level to 4-4. Dimitrov came back from 3-5 down by winning four consecutive games to clinch the tie-break 7-5.
Dimitrov won his first tour-level title in more than six years in 2017.
“I think the first set was amazing. Honestly, whatever I was touching was getting to the right place and in matches like that sometimes it is difficult to maintain throughout the two sets. In the second set he had one loo, and he took it. The game he broke me, amazing returns and just amazing play overall. So he took the ball away from my raquet, and I had to find a way to get back”, said Dimitrov.
Dimitrov will face either Jiri Lehecka or Arthur Rinderknech in the quarter finals.
World number 50 Zhang Zhizhen beat Felix Auger Aliassime 6-4 6-4 in their head-to-head on the ATP Tour. Zhang Zhizen won 77% behind his first serve. The Chinese player will take on Karen Khachanov.
Zhang Zhizhen broke serve in the third game in the third game to take a 2-1 lead. Auger Aliassime broke back in the sixth game to draw level to 3-3. Zhang Zhizhen earned his second break in the seventh game to take a 4-3 lead and served out the first set on his set point. The Chinese player started the second set with a break at love in the first game and saved three break points to hold serve after four deuces in the second game. He held on his next service games and served out the win on his first match point.
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina edged past Emil Ruusuvuori 6-3 7-5 to clinch his first win in three head-to-head matches against his Finnish opponent. Davidovich Fokina set up a quarter match against Frenchman Ugo Humbert.
Davidovich Fokina saved four break points in the sixth game of the first set before breaking serve in the seventh and ninth games to win the first set 6-3. Davidovich Fokina broke serve in the fourth game and held serve at love to take a 4-1 lead. Ruusuvuori broke back in the ninth game and held his service game to draw level to 5-5. Davidovich Fokina sealed the win with his second break on his third match point.
