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SAN DIEGO ATP Tennis Results • Friday’s Order of Play • Tournament Draws • Murray Loses to Ruud

San Diego Tennis Todays Summary 

By: Thomas Cluck

A blockbuster Order of Play greeted fans on Day Four of the inaugural San Diego Open and Thursday’s action did not disappoint.

The night session headliner saw second seed Casper Ruud of Norway, playing his first match of the tournament after a first-round bye, survive the tough test of facing three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray, booking his spot in the quarterfinals 7-5, 6-4.

“I think it was a high-level match throughout from when we started. First, it was really intense, it’s a long set and I was lucky that I was able to break in the end to get one set up, and then up and down in the second set, a lot of breaks so I just tried to stay patient,” explained Ruud.

“I had some chances I didn’t take care of but then in the end I was lucky,” he added.

Ruud, who landed in San Diego from Boston where he was part of Team Europe’s fourth-consecutive Laver Cup crown, set up a quarterfinal meeting tomorrow with Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego, who downed American hope Sebastian Korda 6-4, 6-3 earlier in the day.

“He [Sonego] is a tough player, a great competitor, you know he’s intense and plays with a lot of passion and all these things, so I have to be ready for a tough match again, an intense match,” the Norwegian said.

“I played him last year in Rome and it was two tough sets so this time it’s hard court, it’s different, but I’m sure it will be another tough challenge for me and I’m just happy to play as many matches as I can,” said Ruud.

The feature match on Thursday afternoon at Barnes Tennis Center saw another much-anticipated tournament debut as fourth-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov, always a fan favorite, ended the hopes of San Diego native Taylor Fritz 7-6 (7), 6-2.

Shapovalov, who was part of Team World’s unsuccessful bid for a first Laver Cup crown last weekend, faces Brit Cameron Norrie next who moved past his higher-ranked compatriot Dan Evans, the eighth seed, earlier in the day 7-6 (3), 6-3.
 
The final quarterfinal to be determined Thursday was set as one of the 2021 season’s breakout stars Aslan Karatsev upset fifth-seed Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, who came in hot after winning the title last week in Metz, in a tight three-set affair 5-7, 6-4, 6-2.

Karatsev will meet Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov who punched the final quarterfinal ticket with his dominating victory over local University of San Diego product August Holmgren, a lucky loser for Felix Auger-Aliassime after the Canadian’s withdrawal, winning comfortably 6-1, 6-1 in 56 minutes.
 
Friday’s quarterfinal schedule sees Shapovalov and Norrie go first on Barnes Stadium with top seed Andrey Rublev facing six seed Diego Schwartzman in the second match of the day session. The night session features Ruud taking on Sonego followed by Dimitrov’s duel with Karatsev to close out play. 🎾
2021 SAN DIEGO OPEN ATP 250
THURSDAY’S RESULTS
Men’s
Singles
Second Round

[2] C. Ruud (NOR) d [WC] A. Murray (GBR) 75 64
[4] D. Shapovalov (CAN) d T. Fritz (USA) 76(7) 62
A. Karatsev (RUS) d [5] H. Hurkacz (POL) 57 64 62
C. Norrie (GBR) d [8] D. Evans (GBR) 76(3) 63
[9] L. Sonego (ITA) d S. Korda (USA) 64 63
G. Dimitrov (BUL) d [LL] A. Holmgren (DEN) 61 61

Men’s
Doubles
Quarterfinals

[1] J. Salisbury (GBR) / N. Skupski (GBR) d [WC] B. Nakashima (USA) / S. Verbeek (NED) 61 75
J. Thompson (AUS) / J. Withrow (USA) d [4] S. Bolelli (ITA) / M. Gonzalez (ARG) 63 63

ORDER OF PLAY — FRIDAY, OCTOBER 01, 2021
BARNES STADIUM start 11:30 am

[4] D. Shapovalov (CAN) vs C. Norrie (GBR)
[1] A. Rublev (RUS) vs [6] D. Schwartzman (ARG)

Not Before 5:30 pm
[9] L. Sonego (ITA) vs [2] C. Ruud (NOR)
A. Karatsev (RUS) vs G. Dimitrov (BUL)

STADIUM 2 start 1:00 pm
A. Krajicek (USA) / A. Mies (GER) vs M. Arevalo (ESA) / F. Delbonis (ARG)
T. Fritz (USA) / T. Paul (USA) vs [3] J. Peers (AUS) / F. Polasek (SVK)