Norrie Wins In Metz And Djokovic Through In Athens

Cameron Norrie is done to nan Moselle Open quarter-finals aft coming from down to conclusion Frenchman Arthur Cazaux successful 3 sets, while Novak Djokovic progressed successful Athens.

British number 3 Norrie prevailed successful a hard-fought 6-7 (1-7) 7-6 (9-7) 6-2 triumph successful Metz, France, to scope his 5th tour-level quarter-final of nan play - and his first since Wimbledon successful July.

The 30-year-old will play a 3rd consecutive location subordinate next, pinch French fortunate losers Dan Added and Kyrian Jacquet gathering connected Wednesday.

World number 27 Norrie, runner-up past year, made a affirmative commencement and collapsed nan 69th-ranked Cazaux's service successful nan opening game.

But aft Cazaux levelled nan set, Norrie had to past a break constituent to return nan first group to a tie-break, which nan location favourite dominated.

Both players grounded to find a breakthrough arsenic nan 2nd group besides headed to a tie-break - but Norrie kept gait connected this juncture and yet seized his 4th group constituent pinch a sweeping forehand winner.

Norrie carried that momentum into nan decider, capitalising connected a struggling Cazaux's fading power pinch an contiguous break, earlier racing to nan decorativeness statement aft midnight section time.

"It's ever a battle, he's a very talented player. I had to conflict difficult to get myself into nan lucifer and I had to prime immoderate battles pinch myself," said Norrie.

"I conscionable told myself I wanted to beryllium present and I wanted to beryllium playing."

The Moselle Open and Athens Open are nan 2 ATP 250 events taking spot successful nan last week of nan regular season, earlier nan ATP Finals - featuring nan season's apical 8 players - originates successful Turin connected Sunday.

Djokovic reached his 225th tour-level quarter-final by claiming his first triumph complete Alejandro Tabilo astatine nan Athens Open.

Chile's Tabilo had won some erstwhile meetings pinch Djokovic - but Roger Federer remains nan only subordinate to grounds a 3-0 head-to-head commencement against nan grounds 24-time men's Grand Slam champion.

But aft prevailing successful a first-set tie-break, nan 38-year-old Serb extended his grounds of winning each lucifer successful which he has won nan first group this play to 28 arsenic he cruised to a 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 win.

Djokovic won 20 of nan last 23 points successful a ascendant decorativeness to nan match.

Chasing nan 101st singles title of his profession successful nan Greek capital, Djokovic will adjacent play Nuno Borges connected Thursday aft nan Portuguese sixth seed pulled disconnected a comeback 5-7 6-3 6-4 triumph complete American Eliot Spizzirri.