BRUSSELS : Second-seeded Jiri Lehecka eased into the quarter-finals of the BNP Paribas Fortis European Open in Brussels on Thursday, while Taylor Fritz and Daniil Medvedev also advanced at tournaments in Lyon and Almaty.
Brussels
Lehecka of Czechia beat Belgian Raphael Collignon 6-4 6-2, firing nine aces without a double fault and winning 86.7% of points on his first serve.
The second seed struck 24 winners and will next face Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.
American Alex Michelsen, the fifth seed, defeated David Goffin 6-3 6-4 in what was the Belgian’s final singles match of his 18-year career.
Goffin, a former world number seven, was honoured on court after the match. He finished with 23 winners and 32 unforced errors.
Michelsen will face top seed Arthur Fils of France, who advanced after Spain’s Jaume Munar withdrew with back discomfort.
Belgian sixth seed Zizou Bergs beat Bosnia’s Damir Dzumhur 6-2 6-4.
Lyon
Second seed Fritz defeated Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert 6-2 7-5 to reach the quarter-finals of the Grand Prix Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes.
The American won 82.9% of points on his first serve and committed only 10 unforced errors, 19 fewer than Herbert.
Fritz will next play Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, who beat Croatia’s Borna Gojo 6-3 6-4.
Top seed Flavio Cobolli of Italy defeated Switzerland’s Stan Wawrinka 6-2 6-4, while France’s Luca Van Assche rallied to beat third seed Valentin Vacherot of Monaco 2-6 6-4 6-4.
Fifth seed Brandon Nakashima defeated Frenchman Kyrian Jacquet 6-4 6-3.
Almaty
Top seed Medvedev swept past Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro 6-2 6-1 to reach the quarter-finals of the Almaty Open.
The Russian struck seven aces, saved all three break points he faced and won 80.6% of points on his first serve. He also had a 20-9 advantage in winners.
Medvedev will next face Frenchman Terence Atmane, who edged Italy’s Mattia Bellucci 6-7(4) 7-6(2) 7-6(5).
Kazakhstan’s third seed Alexander Bublik advanced after Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan withdrew with illness, while fifth seed Karen Khachanov of Russia beat Czech Thomas Machac 6-2 4-6 7-6(7).
