Former world no. 17 Bernard Tomic is through to the last eight at the LTP Challenger in Charleston. The rain washed away Thursday's action, and the Aussie faced the Japanese Naoki Nakagawa in Friday's second round. The more experienced player scored a rock-solid 6-1, 6-3 win in an hour and 12 minutes, notching his seventh Challenger quarter-final of the season and the fourth in a row.
Bernard dominated with his first serve and kept the second safe, playing against two break points and losing serve once. Naoki could not follow that pace in challenging windy conditions, serving at only 50% and hitting seven double faults.
Tomic grabbed over half of the return points and converted them into seven breaks from 12 opportunities, controlling the scoreboard and sailing over the top. Nakagawa held in the first game of the match with a forced error, and the better-ranked opponent responded with a hold at love after a service winner a few minutes later.
Bernard Tomic dropped four games against Naoki Nakagawa in Charleston.
The Japanese hit a double fault in the third game, facing two break points and denying them.
Naoki missed a game point and suffered a break that pushed Bernard in front. The Aussie held in the fourth game for 3-1 and made another push on the return in the next one. Nakagawa squandered numerous game points and netted a forehand on a break point, experiencing another break and falling 4-1 behind.
Tomic grabbed the sixth game after a deuce with a forced error, extending the gap and forcing his rival to serve to stay in the set. The Japanese squandered two game points and experienced the third break following the Aussie's backhand down the line return winner, allowing his rival to grab the opener 6-1.
Bernard held at love at the beginning of the second set and mirrored that at 1-1 with more powerful serves, keeping the pressure on the other side.
Naoki sprayed a forehand error in the fourth game, experiencing two break points and hitting a double fault on the second, falling a set and a break behind.
The former Major quarter-finalist held at 15 in the fifth game, opening a 4-1 gap and moving closer to the finish line. The Japanese held at love in the sixth game and made a push on the return in the next one, creating his only break chances.
Nakagawa converted the second after a forehand crosscourt winner, reducing the deficit and returning to the positive side. However, the Aussie kept his composure and created a break chance in game eight with a winner at the net.
Naoki denied it with a fine attack before netting a routine backhand on the second break point, propelling his rival 5-3 in front. Tomic served for the win in game nine and held at love, wrapping up a commanding victory and moving into the quarter-final.
