Lucas Pouille fights back to send Karen Khachanov packing, reaches quarterfinals of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

Photo: Reuters

New Delhi:  Lucas Pouille overcame Karen Khachanov 6-4 3-6 6-3 on Wednesday to reach the quarter-finals of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and avenge his defeat by the Russian in last weekend`s final in Marseille.

Second seed Pouille served seven aces and converted three break points to prevail in an hour and 39 minutes. Up next for the Frenchman is a first career meeting with Yuichi Sugita, who beat Germany`s Jan-Lennard Struff 7-6(4) 6-4. "I knew it would be a tough one," Pouille, who won the Montpellier title earlier this month, said. 

"In the final in Marseille, he won just three points more than me. I knew it was very close. I had to play some good tennis... I`m just very happy that I got my revenge today."

Pouille, the highest seed remaining in Dubai after Grigor Dimitrov`s shock loss to Tunisian wildcard Malek Jaziri on Tuesday, broke world number 41 Khachanov in the ninth game before cruising to a one-set lead.
Khachanov hit back in the next set to drag the contest into a decider, before Pouille saved two break points in the third set and upped his game to advance.

Spain`s Roberto Bautista Agut, seeded third, also reached the quarter-final after a 6-4 6-7(2) 6-1 victory over Pierre-Hugues Herbert in windy conditions. He next faces Borna Coric, who eased past Benoit Paire 6-1 6-4.
Greek wildcard Stefanos Tsitsipas dumped out sixth seed Philipp Kohlschreiber 4-6 6-3 6-4.