IT was another big day across the two ATP 250 tournaments, seeing a much more successful pursuit from the respective home nations in Germany and Italy though a couple more seeds fell across the two competitions. Sardinia favourite Casper Ruud was the upset of the round, downed in straight sets and seeing just one seed remain in Italy.

At Cologne, top seed Alexander Zverev had no issue disposing of Spaniard Fernando Verdasco 6-4 6-1 in 63 minutes, while Canadian young gun and third seed Felix Auger-Aliassime downed qualifier Henri Laaksonen with the same scoreline and taking an extra 14 minutes to get the job done. Both winners in Zverev and Auger-Aliassime were excellent off their serve, hitting seven aces apiece and racing ahead winning 84 per cent and 90 per cent of their first serve points respectively. 

Where Verdasco was unsuccessful, compatriot Alejandro Davidovich Fokina was far more threatening downing eighth seed Croatian Marin Cilic in the lone three-setter of the day. While Cilic ran away with a convincing first set, it was the tight second set that set the tone for Davidovich, winning the second set tiebreaker and stealing momentum for the final set to come away with the 3-6 7-6 6-2 victory. Meanwhile, second seed Roberto Bautista Agut continued his fine form against a fighting Gilles Simon, outlasting the Frenchman in the 6-4 7-6, two-hour and 19-minute battle.

COLOGNE ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] Alexander Zverev (GER) defeated Fernando Verdasco (ESP) 6-4 6-1
[2] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) defeated Gilles Simon (FRA) 6-4 7-6
[3] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) defeated [Q] Henri Laaksonen (SUI) 6-4 6-1
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (ESP) defeated [8] Marin Cilic (CRO) 3-6 7-6 6-2

At Sardinia, Albert Ramos-Vinolas is the only remaining seed left after both Ruud and Tommy Paul were knocked out. Ramos-Vinolas impressed in the first set against Frenchman Corentin Moutet, running away with a solid 6-0 6-3 victory, but it was German Yannick Hanfmann who absolutely stole the show with a whopping 64 minute demolition of Ruud, 6-2 6-1. Hanfmann rendered Ruud much less efficient than usual, forcing errors from the usually more clinical Norwegian and excelling off Ruud’s serve at a 54 per cent winning rate. Ruud hit three double faults and failed to win a single break point in what was a disappointing outing for the third seed.

Two of the three Italian competitors made it through to the quarter finals, with wildcards Marco Cecchinato and Lorenzo Musetti both coming away successful. While Musetti knocked off compatriot Andrea Pellegrino in a 6-2 6-1 demolition in just 59 minutes, Cecchinato outlasted a tough first set from seventh seed American Paul to run away with an 88-minute victory, 7-6 6-4. Cecchinato’s excellent service game was the clincher, winning points off 90 per cent of his first serve including  four aces for zero double faults. 

SARDINIA ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[4] Albert Ramos-Vinolas (ESP) defeated Corentin Moutet (FRA) 6-0 6-3
Yannick Hanfmann (GER) defeated [3] Casper Ruud (NOR) 6-2 7-5
[WC] Marco Cecchinato (ITA) defeated [7] Tommy Paul (USA) 7-6 6-4
[WC] Lorenzo Musetti (ITA) defeated [Q] Andrea Pellegrino (ITA) 6-2 6-1