Thiem moves a step closer in Hamburg

Add as a preferred source on Google

Hamburg, July 25: Dominic Thiem boosted his hopes of a third ATP title in 2019 as he swept through to the German Tennis Championships quarter-finals in Hamburg.

The Austrian top seed, who has won tournaments in Indian Wells and Barcelona this year, saw off Marton Fucsovics 7-5 6-1 to set up a quarter-final clash on Friday (July 26) with Andrey Rublev.

Rublev was a 3-6 7-5 6-3 winner against Casper Ruud, while Georgian fourth seed Nikoloz Basilashvili fought his way past Juan Ignacio Londero with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 victory.

Basilashvili, the defending champion, faces Jeremy Chardy next following the Frenchman's 7-6 (7-5) 7-5 victory over compatriot Richard Gasquet.

At the Swiss Open in Gstaad on Wednesday (July 24), second seed Fernando Verdasco lost 6-4 7-6 (7-4) to fellow Spaniard Albert Ramos-Vinolas to bow out in round two.

Another Spanish player awaits Ramos-Vinolas in the quarter-finals after sixth seed Roberto Carballes Baena cruised to a 6-2 6-4 win against Stefano Travaglia.

Thomas Fabbiano and Cedrik-Marcel Stebe will also go head to head in the last eight.

Fabbiano saw off fourth seed Lorenzo Sonego 7-6 (7-2) 3-6 6-1 in an all-Italian encounter, while Stebe was a 7-6 (7-3) 4-6 6-3 victor against Jiri Vesely.