Defending champion Albert Ramos-Vinolas set up a repeat of last year’s all-Spanish final at the SkiStar Swedish Open on Thursday. Ramos-Vinolas beat Verdasco 6-3, 6-4 in the 2016 title match, but is 2-4 overall in their FedEx ATP Head2Head series.
Second seed Ramos-Vinolas, now 10-4 at the ATP World Tour 250 tournament, twice came within a point of trailing Thiago Monteiro by a set and 3-5, but rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 second-round victory in two hours and 10 minutes. Earlier in the day, sixth seed and 2013, 2016 finalist Fernando Verdasco broke serve five times in a 6-3, 6-2 victory over Facundo Bagnis.
#NextGenATP Karen Khachanov, the leader of six Russians in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, saved two match points in a hard-fought victory. The fifth seed saved match points at 4-5 and 5-6, both on Ad-Out points, in a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-3 win over Latvia's Ernests Gulbis in two hours and 38 minutes. It was his 11th clay-court match win of 2017 (his 19th overall).
Khachanov, currently at a career-high No. 33, is through to his fourth ATP World Tour quarter-final (or better) this season, which is highlighted by a semi-final run at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle (l. to Federer). Former World No. 10 Gulbis, who rose 241 spots as a result of reaching the Wimbledon third round (d. del Potro in 2R, l. to Djokovic), hit 16 aces and lost just nine of his first-service points.
Khachanov will now face Alexandr Dolgopolov, who lost five of his first-service points and withstood 14 aces from Horacio Zeballos' racquet in a 6-4, 6-4 win over 89 minutes.
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