By Chris Oddo | Thursday July 23, 2015
Borna Coric reached the quarterfinals of the Croatian Open with a straight-sets win over Aljaz Bedene.
Photo Source: Croatian Open
The ATP’s top-ranked teenager notched another win on his home court in Umag on Thursday. 18-year-old Borna Coric reached his sixth career quarterfinal with a 6-4, 6-4 victory over Great Britain’s Aljaz Bedene, setting up a tilt with Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut (d. Kavcic, 6-1, 6-2).
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After saving both break points that he faced to take the opener, Coric looked to be steaming to an uncomplicated victory when he broke Bedene for a 4-3 lead in the second set.
But the world No. 70 hit back with a break of his own when his down-the-line backhand clipped off the net cord but still sailed for a clean winner and a 4-all tie with the Croatian.
Coric didn’t wait long to respond, however. He rushed out to a 15-40 advantage in the next game and converted his second break point for a 5-4 lead to give himself a chance to serve for the match.
More drama ensued as Bedene earned himself two more break points to stay alive but Coric saved them both—the second with a courageous down-the-line backhand that he followed up with an exquisite backhand volley winner—and went on to close out the match in one hour and 24 minutes.
Coric’s 19 wins in 2015 are ten more than any other teenager (Alexander Zverev and Thanasi Kokkinakis each have nine).
21-year-old Dominic Thiem was also a winner on Thursday in Umag. The fourth-seeded Austrian advanced when his opponent, Dusan Lajovic of Serbia, was forced to retire due to heat exhaustion.
Austria had more success on Thursday in Umag, as Andreas Haider-Maurer scored the upset over 8th-seeded Martin Klizan, 6-4, 6-4
The final matches of the day saw top-seeded Gael Monfils blast past Austrian qualifier Bastian Trinker, 6-3 6-0, while sixth-seeded Philipp Kohlscreiber eased past Paolo Lorenzi, 6-2, 7-5. .