US Open semifinalist
Frances Tiafoe was made to work in the second half of his match against
Feliciano Lopez at the Abierto Mexicano Acapulco on Wednesday night, but pulled through to advance to the quarterfinals.
Tiafoe scored a 6-2 7-6(6) victory over the Spanish veteran, who seems determined to defy his age as he remains a consistent threat on the tour at 41-years old. Lopez did have issues with his serve in the opening set, hitting four double faults and winning 36% of his second serve points. This allowed Tiafoe to obtain two breaks of serve, handing the American the first set.
The second set saw Lopez attempt to make amends for his subpar service performance in the opener, as the former World No.12 hit eight aces and won 19 of 21 points behind his first serve. However, Tiafoe was equal to the task, and neither player faced a break point. This led to a tiebreak, where a brilliant return from the American set up match point. A backhand passing shot sealed Tiafoe's victory, as the 25-year old prevailed after an hour and 28 minutes.
With another ATP quarterfinal on his resume, Tiafoe will face the winner between compatriot Taylor Fritz and Canadian Denis Shapovalov.