Defending champion James Blake cruised into the Indianapolis Tennis Championships quarter-finals on Thursday with a 6-4, 6-2 win over Brazilian Ricardo Mello.
Second-seeded Blake executed his strategy to perfection in the second round match, taking just 66 minutes to down Mello and advance.
"I knew I had to be attacking him all the time," Blake said. "If I sat back on the baseline and let him play his game, it would be tough."
PHOTO: AP
Blake won 22 of 26 first-serve points to 23 of 41 for Mello, a qualifier.
US teenager Sam Querrey also advanced to the quarter-finals, saving two match points before rallying for a 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (6) victory over fifth-seeded Ivo Karlovic of Croatia. Querrey was to face Blake yesterday.
The 19-year-old Querrey won the final three points of the match.
"It feels good. I'm starting to get on a roll," said Querrey, who had lost six straight matches in previous tournaments before winning his first-round match on Monday.
Third-seeded Dmitry Tursunov overcame eight double faults to beat fellow Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 6-3, 0-6, 6-2 and set up a quarter-finals match with Kei Nishikori of Japan.
Nishikori, a 17-year-old amateur qualifier playing in just his second ATP tournament, defeated Michael Berrer of Germany 6-3, 3-6, 6-1.
"Unbelievable," Nishikori said. "Did I expect to reach the quarter-finals? No. My serve is getting better. Everything is good."
Querrey finished with 14 aces and reached the quarter-finals for the third time this season.
"Any time you win a big match, it builds your confidence," he said. "Hopefully, in the next round, I'll play even better."
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