WASHINGTON — Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili upset Croatian top seed Ivo Karlovic 7-6 (7-2), 6-3, Thursday to reach the quarterfinals of the ATP Memphis Open.
A week shy of his 25th birthday, the world No. 67 won all 37 of his first-serve points and took only 69 minutes to dispatch hard-serving 37-year-old Karlovic, ranked 20th.
Basilashvili, seeking his first ATP crown, advanced to the last eight at the indoor hardcourt event, where he will meet Australian qualifier Matthew Ebden, who downed US teen Taylor Fritz. 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 after one hours and 42 minutes.
Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Kukushkin dispatched Barbados qualifier Darian King 6-3, 6-0 in 70 minutes to book a quarterfinal spot against US fourth seed Steve Johnson, who rallied to oust compatriot Tim Smyczek 3-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Friday’s other quarter-finals send US second seed John Isner against compatriot Donald Young and American Ryan Harrison against Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.
Dolgopolov dumps Cuevas
Second-seeded Pablo Cuevas of Uruguay was knocked out of the Argentina Open’s second round on Thursday, losing to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 7-6 (4).
No. 3-seeded David Ferrer of Spain was also eliminated in the second round, losing to Carlos Berlocq of Argentina 6-4, 6-2. Ferrer won three straight Buenos Aires titles from 2012-14.
Kerber disappoints
World No. 2 Angelique Kerber finally got to play her first match at the rain-affected Qatar Open Thursday then promptly crashed out of the tournament.
On another wet day in the desert, Kerber lost 6-4, 0-6, 6-4 to Russian teenager Daria Kasatkina in a second round match.
The German had received a first round bye.
It was the second time this year that Kerber has lost to the 19-year-old Russian, after being defeated 7-6, 6-2 at the Sydney International last month.
The defeat also denied Doha a repeat of last year’s Olympics final, as Kasatkina instead won through to play gold medalist Monica Puig in a last eight clash. It was tied at one set all — the Russian took the first set 6-4, while Puig hit back to take the second 7-5 — with the Puerto Rican 2-1 up in the decider before the inevitable rain struck again and play was halted for the day.
Also suspended because of the weather was Caroline Wozniacki’s quarterfinal clash against American qualifier Lauren Davis.
The pair managed only one game on a side court before being stopped for the day.
Earlier the Dane had beaten close friend Agnieszka Radwanska 7-5, 6-3.
Only one player, Slovakia’s Dominika Cibulkova, has so far won through to the semifinals as rain has decimated the schedule.
She beat Australia’s Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-4, and will play the winner of the match between the Czech Republic’s Karolina Pliskova and China’s Zhang Shuai.
Pliskova, the No. 2 seed, had earlier on Thursday beaten France’s Caroline Garcia 7-5, 6-4. — Agencies
