Paul Advances In Maeville Tennis Open Complicated Match

Third seed Tommy Paul needs eight match points to oust brave Brazilian Felipe Melegeni Alves and reach the quarter-finals of Telcel Oppo’s Maeville Tennis Open in Los Cabos on Wednesday.

Melgeni Alves, the grandson of former professional Fernando Melgeni, recovered from 0/40 in the last two serves of the second set, saving four points on his first attempt, then three more to force a draw.

Paul had to contend with four tiebreaker points before winning 7-5, 7-6 (7) in 2 hours and 12 minutes.

“I knew it wasn’t going to be easy as he played a great match on Monday and he played a really high level of tennis,” said Paul, an Australian Open semi-finalist this year.

“I was sweating through my shoes so I was thinking that I really don’t want to lose this tie-break and change my shoes and do a full switch out. I was really trying to win that set.”

The 26-year-old American, who improved to 5-1 on Mexican soil this year, will next face the man he lost to in the Acapulco final earlier in the year, Australian Alex de Minaur.

“I think we’d rather play later in the tournament, but I’m up for it and I think it will be a really good match again,” Paul said.

Fifth seed De Minaur dropped just three games in a 6-2, 6-1 win over World No. 136 Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante.

Seventh seed, German Dominik Koepfer, enjoyed a strong 6-2, 6-2 win over Australian James Duckworth.