Estonia's Mark Lajal reaches Libéma Open last 8 after opponent withdraws
Estonia's top men's tennis player Mark Lajal (ATP No. 195) has reached the quarter-finals of the ATP 250 Libéma Open in 's-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands after his opponent was forced to pull out of their last 16 clash.
Lajal was due to face former world number 5 Hubert Hurkacz (ATP No. 32) of Poland in the second round of the main draw on Thursday. However, Hurkacz announced in the afternoon that he was withdrawing due to a lower back injury.
Lajal, who started the tournament in qualifying, defeated the U.S.A.'s Reilly Opelka and Laslo Djere of Serbia on his way to the last 16. Hurkacz's withdrawal means the Estonian men's number one has made it to the quarter-finals of an ATP tournament for the first time in his career.
In the last 8, Lajal will face the winner of the match between Alexei Popyrin of Australia and Belgium's Zizou Bergs. Popyrin, who trained with Lajal at the Mouratoglou Tennis Academy, is ranked 21st in the world, while Bergs, who reached the third round at last year's French Open, is currently ATP No. 63.
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Editor: Michael Cole, Anders Nõmm
