PHOENIX, March 15, 2019
David Goffin headlined Thursday’s third round action at the Arizona Tennis Classic. The top seed of the $162,480 ATP Challenger event in Phoenix fought past Norwegian young gun Casper Ruud 7-6(4), 7-6(4).
Goffin struck 10 aces, winning 75 per cent of his first service points to advance after two hours and eight minutes. The World No. 21 from Belgium lifted the trophy at each of the last four ATP Challenger events he played (Scheveningen 2014, Poznan 2014, Tampere 2014, Mons 2014) and will next take on Italian Salvatore Caruso, who beat Evgeny Donskoy of Russia 6-3, 6-4.
What a night for the guys in Phoenix, taking in a @ArizonaCoyotes 🏒 game and visiting the locker room with team captain @OEL23. pic.twitter.com/pXdCxmvGGl
— ATP Challenger Tour (@ATPChallenger) 15. März 2019
Earlier in the day, John Millman cruised past Kamil Majchrzak of Poland 6-1, 6-2. The No. 3 seed from Australia was in dominated the encounter right from the beginning, didn’t face a break point and capitalized on four of his own five chances to secure victory in only 57 minutes. Next up for Millman will be No. 12 seeded Argentine Guido Andreozzi.
In the two remaining quarterfinals No. 4 seed Mikhail Kukushkin from Kazakhstan will face Nicolas Jarry of Chile and No. 6 seeded Italian Matteo Berrettini will play his compatriot Lorenzo Sonego.