Shanghai [China], October 9 : Tommy Paul boosted his slim ATP Finals qualification hopes on Monday as he defeated Frenchman Arthur Fils 6-4, 6-7(7), 6-4 to reach the Round of 16 at the Shanghai Masters.
After blowing two match points in the second set tie-break in a hard-fought encounter, the American rebounded and responded in the last set with a steady baseline performance to win after two hours and forty minutes.
With 2,525 points, Paul is now ranked 11th in the ATP Live Race to Turin, 585 points behind Holger Rune in eighth position. The 26-year-old hopes to perform at the famed year-end gala for the first time.
The Masters 1000 tournament saw Grigor Dimitrov advance to the fourth round for the first time since Paris in 2022. The Bulgarian won his sixth Top 20 match of the year by defeating World No. 14 Karen Khachanov 7-6(6), 6-4.
The 18th seed advanced after an hour and 57 minutes by winning 17 of his 19 first-serve points in the second set after saving one set point in the opening set at 5/6 in the tie-break.
"I think the first set was very close on both ends. I think I had the edge early on and in the match. I thought I was controlling a lot but somehow he was coming back. Great serves, great movement, great shots, but I had to stay focused and that was the most important thing. When I had opportunities to be more aggressive I had to do it," Dimitrov was quoted as saying by ATP.
Dimitrov will next face top seed Carlos Alcaraz in the Round of 16 clash.
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