TOP seed Pablo Carreno Busta has firmed as the ATP Tour Winston-Salem Open title favourite after winning through to the quarter finals at the ATP 250 event, and watching many of his closest rivals fall. The Spanish world number 12 is the only player left standing inside the Top 50 in the hard court event, heading into the last eight.

Carreno Busta toppled 16th seed German Dominik Koepfer 6-2 6-3 in one hour and eight minutes, to speed through to the quarter finals. He only dropped seven points off his first serve, and 15 points in total off a 70 per cent clip, taking full advantage of Koepfer’s 38 per cent second serve success rate. He also saved the only break point he faced, whilst breaking Koepfer three times – twice in the first set and once in the second set – to salute in straight sets.

His nearest rival to get up in the tournament was 13th seed Frances Tiafoe – ranked 51st in the world – who defeated Brazailian Thiago Monteiro in two tight sets, 7-5 7-5. Tiafoe has strung together some good wins this season, and is now the second ranked player remaining in the tournament. Also remaining from a seeded perspective were two players at opposite ends of their careers.

“It was two tight sets, quick sets I felt like. I was holding pretty swiftly but would not be happy to be playing a third set,” Tiafoe said post-match. “Tonight I served unbelievable…. If you can loosen up from the back a little you can go for it because you’re so confident. Hopefully I can serve like that the rest of the week.”

French veteran Richard Gasquet took care of third seed Brit Daniel Evans 6-4 7-6, while teenage talent Carlos Alcaraz won in three unusual momentum-swinging sets over fourth seed Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, 6-3 0-6 6-2. Alcaraz needed two hours and six minutes to win the match, broken three times in the second set, but otherwise saved his 11 break points against Fucsovics, whilst breaking the Hungarian once in the first set and twice in the third set to deliver the victory.

“Well it has been a great match, a really, really tough match. In the second set I went down absolutely… and I went up [on] my serve a little bit to start the third… I [thought] I could do it. Really happy to get the win,” Alcaraz said post-match.

“In this match, I didn’t feel comfortable playing the long rallies. I started to… hit as hard as I can to try to make the points shorter.”

Two other seeds fell in the process, with big-serving German Jan-Lennard Struff barely giving a yelp in his loss to Belarusian Ilya Ivashka 6-2 6-1, while Finn up-and-comer Emil Ruusuvuori defeated 12th seed Benoit Paire 6-4 4-6 6-1 to advance through to the quarter finals. In other results, American Marcos Giron and Swede Mikael Ymer both delivered victories over lucky losers, toppling Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Australian Max Purcell respectively to secure a spot in the final eight.

WINSTON-SALEM OPEN ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[1] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) defeated [16] Dominik Koepfer (GER) 6-2 6-3
[14] Richard Gasquet (FRA) defeated [3] Daniel Evans (GBR) 6-4 7-6
[15] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) defeated [4] Marton Fucsovics (HUN) 6-3 0-6 6-2
Ilya Ivashka (BLR) defeated [9] Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 6-2 6-1
Emil Ruusuvuori (FIN) defeated [12] Benoit Paire (FRA) 6-4 4-6 6-1
[13] Frances Tiafoe (USA) defeated Thiago Monteiro (BRA) 7-5 7-6
Marcos Giron (USA) defeated [LL] Pierre-Hugues Herbert (FRA) 4-6 6-3 6-3
Mikael Ymer (SWE) defeated [LL] Max Purcell (AUS) 7-5 6-2

Picture credit: Grant Halverson/Getty Images