Teenager and ATP Tour debutant Nakashima through to Delray quarterfinals

Competing in his debut ATP Tour tournament, 18-year-old wildcard Brandon Nakashima beat Cameron Norrie 7-5 6-2 to reach the Delray Beach Open quarterfinals.

Published : Feb 20, 2020 10:46 IST

American teenager Brandon Nakashima is coached by 1987 Wimbledon champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up Pat Cash.
American teenager Brandon Nakashima is coached by 1987 Wimbledon champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up Pat Cash.
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American teenager Brandon Nakashima is coached by 1987 Wimbledon champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up Pat Cash.

American teenager Brandon Nakashima reached the Delray Beach Open quarterfinals, while Cristian Garin moved through to the last eight of the Rio Open.

Competing in his debut ATP Tour tournament, 18-year-old wildcard Nakashima defeated British qualifier Cameron Norrie 7-5 6-2 on Wednesday.

Nakashima, who is coached by 1987 Wimbledon champion and two-time Australian Open runner-up Pat Cash, is the event's youngest quarterfinalist since Kei Nishikori won the tournament as an 18-year-old in 2008.

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"I always knew that I had the game to compete with these high-level pros. I just had to have the right opportunities," said Nakashima, who will face Yoshihito Nishioka after the Japanese blitzed Noah Rubin 6-1 6-2.

"I was just hoping to play a good first-round match here, but after winning these two matches, I have a lot of confidence in my game now… Hopefully I can keep it going."

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Reilly Opelka – the fourth seed – dismantled Mackenzie McDonald 6-3 6-4 and Kwon Soon-woo prevailed 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-0) against Ryan Harrison.

At the Rio Open, third seed Garin beat Federico Delbonis 6-4 6-3 en route to the quarters in Brazil.

Garin, who claimed the Cordoba Open title almost a fortnight ago, hit 22 winners to earn a meeting with Federico Coria after the Argentinian's 6-4 4-6 6-4 victory over Carlos Alcaraz.

Elsewhere, lucky loser Attila Balazs rallied past Thiago Monteiro 1-6 6-1 6-4 and Pedro Martinez trumped fellow Spaniard Pablo Andujar 6-1 6-4.

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