CINCINNATI : Tommy Paul saved a match point and fought back from a set and a break down to defeat top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6 7-6(6) 6-4 and reach the Cincinnati Open quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The American recovered from a nearly 90-minute rain delay to produce a stirring comeback against the world number three, advancing to the last eight in Cincinnati for the first time.
Zverev took control early, winning the opening set and moving 4-3 ahead in the second before rain interrupted the fourth-round contest.
Paul returned from the delay with greater intensity and saved a match point before forcing a tiebreak, where he edged Zverev 8-6 to level the match.
The German appeared to regain control in the deciding set, opening a 4-2 lead, but Paul refused to surrender and won four consecutive games to complete the comeback
Zverev’s serve proved unreliable at key moments despite producing 14 aces. The German also committed nine double faults and was called for a foot fault in the third set.
Paul, who has been one of the leading American players on hard courts, will face Italy’s Flavio Cobolli in the quarter-finals.
Cobolli advanced earlier on Wednesday with a 4-6 7-6(3) 6-3 victory over Spain’s Rafael Jodar.
The result gives Paul another opportunity to make a deep run at a Masters 1000 event as he builds momentum ahead of the U.S. Open.
