Americans Querrey, Fritz Reach Acapulco Quarterfinals

Americans Sam Querrey and Taylor Fritz made their way into the Abierto Mexicano Telcel with victories on Wednesday, setting up an all-American battle in the final eight.

Fresh off his title in Delray Beach, Querrey continued his excellent hard-court play. He knocked off second-seed Kei Nishikori in routine fashion 6-4, 6-3 on Wednesday, snapping a four-match losing streak to the former U.S. Open finalist.

“My fitness and my health are great. I’m feeling better and healthier every match,” said Querrey. “[This] sport is kind of all about momentum. The more you win, the better you feel and that’s kind of where I’m at right now. I served really well and he broke me when I was serving at 5-3 but I didn’t let it bother me. I was just in a good mindset.”

Up next for Querrey is the streaking Taylor Fritz. The American teenager continued his torrid play by cruising past Victor Estrella Burgos 6-1, 6-3

Fritz won 75 percent of his first serves and broke five times to move through in just over an hour.

“That’ll be tough,” Querrey said of facing Fritz. “Taylor’s playing great right now; a final in Memphis. He’ll be feeling confident.”

Nishikori wasn’t the only high seed to fall in Mexico on Wednesday. Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov knocked off top-seed and defending champion David Ferrer 6-4, 6-4 to book his spot in the final eight.

Dolgopolov didn’t let a 2-8 head-to-head record against Ferrer slow him down. He broke twice in the opening set and then secured the lone break of the second set to move past Ferrer in one hour and 31 minutes.

“I think everything suits me here. I’ve played well here on clay courts, I’ve played well here on hard courts and that’s why I’m coming back here and enjoying myself. It’s great to get wins like this,” said Dolgopolov. “I think I was quite calm. I was happy I’m on court because I was injured last week. That was the key. I played relaxed and the pressure was more on him. I was aggressive and went for my shots.”

Dolgopolov will face Robin Haase of the Netherlands in the quarterfinals. Haase beat Serbia’s Aljaz Bedene 6-4, 6-7(3), 6-4 to move through on Wednesday.

The other quarterfinals will pit fifth-seed Bernard Tomic against Illya Marchenko and seventh-seed Grigor Dimitrov against fourth-seed Dominic Thiem.