BASTAD, July 19, 2017

David Ferrer emerged victorious from Wednesday’s second round sunset match at the SkiStar Swedish Open in Bastad. The 35-year-old from Spain eased past Germany’s Dustin Brown 6-2, 6-3.

Ferrer saved both break points he faced, converting all four of his own to finish the encounter in only 55 minutes. The eighth seed from Jávea celebrated his fifth win over Brown in as many meetings between the two.

Ferrer will next take on Henri Laaksonen, who knocked out the tournament’s number three Pablo Cuevas, winning 6-4, 6-3. The World No. 100 won 70 per cent of his first service points and broke serve five times to advance in 68 minutes

“I had to stay aggressive as he is one of the best players on clay,” said Laaksonen, who is through to the stage of the final eight at ATP World Tour level for the first time. “I’m really happy to win today. I had to go and try to win it.”

Carreno-Busta Retires

Top seed Pablo Carreno-Busta was also back in action. The 26-year-old Spaniard played was scheduled to play his first match against Andrey Kuznetsov since his retirement in the quarters of the French Open against Rafael Nadal. Carreno-Busta missed the entire grass-court swing with a left abdominal muscle fracture and was forced to retire again due to a left abdominal injury after two hours and nine minutes of play.

Después de resentirme de la lesión sufrida en Roland Garros hace mes y medio he tenido que retirarme. Momento difícil.Espero volver pronto. pic.twitter.com/qHWhw2Z6P5

— Pablo Carreño (@pablocarreno91) 19. Juli 2017

“The key was not to give up until the end,” said Kuznetsov, who was leading 4-6, 7-6, 3-0. “I felt that I played during the whole match, in the first and second sets I had 14 break point chances, but converted only one. In the end I played well in the tie-break, then I saw in the third set he couldn’t move or serve that well.”

Kuznetsov will next play Diego Schwartzman, who beat fellow-Argentine Renzo Olivo 6-4, 6-1 in one hour and 23 minutes.

Photo Gallery (by Brigitte Urban)