Britain’s Jack Draper is thru to the Japan Open final 16 following a straight-set win over Mattia Bellucci.
World quantity 20 Draper beat the Italian 6-4 6-2 for his first victory since defeat by Jannik Sinner within the US Open semi-finals earlier this month.
The victory marks a return to kind for the 22-year-old after a disappointing Davis Cup in Manchester the place he misplaced his two singles matches.
Draper was overwhelmed in straight units by Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo and Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime as Nice Britain failed to achieve the knockout stage.
After edging the primary set in opposition to world quantity 103 Belluci in Tokyo, Draper pulled away within the second as he opened up a 5-1 lead earlier than seeing out victory.
Draper will play Polish second seed Hubert Hurkacz on Friday.
Elsewhere, Greek fourth seed Stefanos Tsitsipas misplaced 4-6 6-1 6-2 to American Alex Michelsen.
American fifth seed Tommy Paul beat Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi 6-3 6-2, whereas Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka edged Auger-Aliassime 7-6 (7-5) 3-6 7-6 (7-5) in a match that lasted three hours and 12 minutes.