Liam Broady took care of business on Day 4 of the 30th annual Nordic Naturals Challenger presented by Santa Cruz County Bank, notching a 6-2, 6-2 win over Joris De Loore to advance to the quarterfinal round.
“I beat him the last time we played, so I was pretty confident going into this match,” said Broady, a 23-year-old from Great Britain, in a press release, “but I know he’s a good player so I was ready for a battle, too.”
Broady’s surprise win over De Loore was one of several on Thursday at the Seascape Sports Club in Aptos.
Dennis Novikov knocked off No. 5 seed Mikhail Kukushkin and 20-year-old Alexander Bublik swept No. 3 seed Henri Laaksonen.
Novikov, a 23-year-old who calls the United States home, sent Kukushkin packing with a 6-7(3), 7-6(3) 6-3 win. Kukushkin, of Kazakhstan, had hoped to reach the tournament’s championship match as he did in 2014.
Bublik, also of Kazakhstan, swiftly sent Laaksonen, of Switzerland, home with a 6-1, 6-1 win.
American Raymond Sarmiento also advanced with a 6-4, 4-6, 6-3 victory against 20-year-old Quentin Halys, of France.
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COMPLETE DAY 4 SINGLES RESULTS
A. Bublik def. [3] H. Laaksonen >> 6-1, 6-1
[WC] D. Novikov def. [5] M. Kukushkin >> 6-7(3), 7-6(3), 6-3
[Q] L. Broady def. [Alt] J. De Loore >> 6-2, 6-2
R. Sarmiento def, Q. Halys >> 6-4, 4-6, 6-3
DAY 5 ORDER OF PLAY
CENTER COURT start 11:00 am
[WC] D. Novikov vs A. Bublik
Not Before 1:30 pm
[Q] L. Broady vs R. Sarmiento
Not Before 4:00 pm
S. Groth vs A. Santillan
Not Before 6:00 pm
[WC] T. Fritz vs [6] T. Sandgren
