Top-seeded Frances Tiafoe moved to the quarterfinals of the Dallas Open with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over fellow American Alex Michelsen, aged 19. Tiafoe earned three match points with a backspinning drop volley that hit so close to the net that it ricochet back to his side. Michelsen had already given up on pursuing the ball when it bounced. Tiafoe, 26, won his opening match of the competition on his first match point after Michelsen sent a forehand into the net, giving Tiafoe his fifth service break.
Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka withdrew from the late match, advancing France’s Adrian Mannarino to the quarterfinals without having played a single match. Other round-of-16 victories included Australian No. 7 seed Jordan Thompson, who defeated American Denis Kudla 6-1, 6-1, and German Dominik Koepfer, who defeated Australian Rinky Hijikata 6-4, 7-6(5).
Michelsen, who has surged into the top 100 in the last year, took the initial break for a 3-2 lead in the first set, but immediately gave it back on Tiafoe’s second break point in the next game with one of his four double faults.