Stricker surprise factor means Swiss success in Geneva

Dominic Stricker stepped in to fill the Swiss gap after Roger Federer’s shock loss in the first round of the ATP Geneva event, with the teenager booing into the quarter-finals on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old ranked 419th and the most recent French Open junior champion in both singles and doubles, withstood a long rain interruption, coming back out to finish off the last few points of a 7-5, 6-4 defeat of Marton Fucsovics.

The rising Helvetic NextGen will next face Pablo Andujar, conqueror of Federer on Tuesday.

“I’ve played two good matches and I’m very content,” the teenaged winner said.

“I prepared by watching previous matches of my opponents on YouTube.. and they didn’t know much about me – which was an advantage.”. 

Stricker served up six aces and broke his Hungarian opponent five times to reach the last eight in his first career ATP tournament.

Three of his breaks of serve came in the second set against the player who eliminated Switzerland’s Henri Laaksonen.

Third seed Casper Ruud moved into his sixth quarter-final of the season after winning his second round start over Tennys Sandgren 7-5,6 -2.

The Norwegian who earned the Buenos Aires title last season on clay, followed up on semi-finals at Monte Carlo, Munich and Madrid.

Ruud advanced in 84 minutes, breaking twice in the final set while saving the only break point he faced against his own serve.

He will play for the semis against German Dominic Koepfer, who beat Spanish veteran Feliciano Lopez 7-6, 6-7(1), 6-3

Main photo:- 3rd seed Casper Ruud moves into quarter finals – ©ATPTour.com