Medvedev, Tsitsipas power into Toronto quarters

TORONTO: Top seed Daniil Medvedev powered through a rough patch to beat James Duckworth 6-2, 6-4 on Thursday and reach the quarter-finals of the ATP Toronto Masters. Medvedev finished with 10 aces as he reached his eighth quarter-final at the Masters level on the way into a quarter-final against Pole Hubert Hurkacz, who scored a 6-7 (7-9), 6-4, 6-4 win over Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.

Each man struck more than 50 unforced errors, but Hurkacz came up with 30 winners and 22 aces in two and three-quarter hours of battle.

Third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas celebrated his 23rd birthday with a solid 6-3, 6-2 victory over Olympic silver medallist Karen Khachanov that put him into his fourth Masters 1000 quarter-final of the season.

The Greek set up a last-eight meeting with in-form Norwegian Casper Ruud, who extended his summer win streak to 13 matches as the sixth seed dispatched Serb Dusan Lajovic 6-4, 6-3.

A 20-ace performance was more than enough to see John Isner through to the last eight as the Atlanta tournament champion won an eighth consecutive match, defeating fourth seed Andrey Rublev 7-5, 7-6 (7-5).

Isner next faces France’s Gael Monfils, who extended his career revival after a fallow pandemic period with a 6-1, 7-6 (7-2) defeat of American Frances Tiafoe.

Monfils reached his first quarter-final since Dubai in February.

American Reilly Opelka added Lloyd Harris to his victim’s list with a 4-6, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-4) comeback effort.

Spanish 10th seed Roberto Bautista Agut defeated Argentine eighth seed Diego Schwartzman 6-3, 3-6, 7-5.