SEVILLE, September 7, 2016

The youngsters at the Copa Sevilla headlined second round action of the €42,500 ATP Challenger event on Wednesday, highlighted by Norwegian qualifier Casper Ruud. The only 17-year-old from Oslo is making his debut at this level of international tennis and knocked out the tournament’s number five Andrej Martin, winning 6-3, 6-3.

Ruud saved nine of the 10 break points he faced, converting four of his own to advance into the quarterfinals after one hour and 33 minutes. Next up for the teenager, who clinched two titles on the ITF Pro Circuit earlier this season, will be top seed Inigo Cervantes. The last Spaniard standing in the singles main draw battled past Christian Garin, winning 6-7, 6-4, 7-6. Cervantes fired 20 aces and broke his opponent’s serve four times to prevail in two hours and 45 minutes.

Russia’s NextGen star Andrey Rublev also advanced to the stage of the final eight with a 7-6, 7-6 victory over Enrique López-Pérez. The 18-year-old sent down six aces, winning 74 per cent of his first service points to finish the encounter in two hours and five minutes. Rublev will next face third seed Taro Daniel, who eased past Riccardo Bellotti 6-2, 6-1 in 64 minutes.

The successful run of Spanish wild card Carlos Taberner was stopped by sixth seed Arthur de Greef. The world number 138 from Belgium defeated the 18-year-old Valencia resident 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 in two hours and 28 minutes. De Greef will next take on defending champion Pedro Cachín. The 21-year-old from Argentina edged past Oriol Roca Batalla 7-6, 6-0.