Agencies
Dubai, Feb 24: Sixth seen Tomas Berdych and Nick Kyrgios advanced to the last 16 stage of the Dubai Tennis Championships here Wednesday with straight-set victories over their respective opponents.
Berdych needed a little less than an hour to trounce Tim Fabbiano of Italy 6-2, 6-2 while Kyrgios was equally dominant with his net game to overpower Mikhail Khukushkin 6-3, 6-2.
Earlier Tuesday night second seed Stan Wawrinka needed a set and a half to get comfortable on his return to the Dubai Tennis Championships but he pulled out a 5-7, 6-3, 7-5 first-round win over Sergiy Stakhovsky.
The double Grand Slam-winning Swiss last played the event eight years ago and looked to be ready for the first flight back out as he trailed by a set and a break to his Ukrainian opponent.
The Swiss admitted he found it tough to adjust to fast night conditions, and had his troubles in the early stages. But he suddenly found enough form to win five games in a row, levelling at a set each with an ace.
Wawrinka earned victory in the third, breaking for 6-5 and finishing off a game later with his first match point after two hours and more than 50 unforced errors.
“It’s good for confidence but it was a tough first match, I wasn’t playing well at all,” Wawrinka said. “I was struggling with the conditions, with my game. The court is fast, the balls were flying.”
Wawrinka faces unknown Croatian qualifier Franko Skugor, who beat Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-2, 6-3.
