China’s Bu Yunchakoete upset Olympic bronze medallist Lorenzo Musetti 6-2 6-4 to reach the quarter finals at the China Open in Beijing. The Chinese player has scored his first win against a top 20 player.
Bu Yunchakoete will face either Andrey Rublev or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the next round.
Bu Yunchakoete, who had played just one ATP Tour event before the ATP 250 tournament, has reached the quarter final at his first ATP 500 tournament. He has become the second Chinese men’s singles player to reach the quarter final in the history of the China Open.
Bu won 53% of his first return points and converted five of his eight break points. He broke twice in the first and the fifth games to win the first set 6-2.
Bu went up a set and a double break to open up a 4-1 lead. Musetti pulled back both breaks back to draw level to 4-4. Bu earned his third break in the ninth game to seal the win on his first match point.
“I am really happy. I am really enjoying playing at home, especially last week in Hangzhou, where I practiced almost 15 years and also at home. I am in China. I was really looking forward to this tournament because it’s my first ATP 500 tournament here and last week was my first 250, so I am really enjoying. I lost a little bit my focus, my energy. I was maybe relaxed because he started doing some drop shots, some trick shots. I am happy I came back at 4-4 and I had a break and was able to finish the match. I am really happy”, said Bu Yunchakoete.
Karen Khachanov held off a late fightback to edge Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (11-9) after 2 hours and 9 minutes in a hard-fought match. Khachanov earned his first break in the fifth game to take a 3-2 lead. Cerundolo broke straight back to draw level to 3-3. Khachanov broke for the second time in the ninth game to take a 5-4 lead, but Cerundolo pulled back on serve to draw level to 5-5. Khachanov earned a second mini-break to win the tie-break 7-4.
Cerundolo broke serve in the 11th game to take a 6-5 lead, but Khachanov broke straight back in the next game.
Khachanov saved four set points in the second set before sealing the win on his sixth match point. Khachanov has improved to 7-0 in his head-to-head matches. The Russian player set up a match against either Carlos Alcaraz or Tallon Griekspoor for a spot in the semifinal.
Khachanov has won consecutive matches for the first times since reaching the fourth round at the Masters 1000 tournament in Rome last May.
