Grigor Dimitrov continued his strong start to the 2016 season on Wednesday at the Apia International Sydney, out-hitting Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 7-6(2), 6-4 to advance to his second quarter-final in as many weeks.

Dimitrov, 24, had won their first meeting on hard courts at the ATP Masters 1000 Paris in 2014, while Cuevas prevailed last year on clay in the Istanbul semi-finals.

The opening match in Ken Rosewall Arena saw the No. 4-seeded Bulgarian take the 51-minute first set in a one-sided tie-break, denying the 41^st-ranked Cuevas the lone break point of the stanza. Dimitrov opened the second set with his only break of the match (1 for 9). It turned out to be the only one he would need in the one-hour, 37-minute victory.

Dimitrov reached the quarter-finals in Brisbane last week, losing to Roger Federer in three sets.

The 30-year-old Cuevas, who was making his third appearance in Sydney, failed to convert any of his three break-point opportunities.

Gilles Muller was leading No. 2 seed Dominic Thiem 7-6(2), 2-2 when the 22-year-old Austrian, who was coming off a semi-final showing in Brisbane (l. to Federer), retired with blisters on his right foot. Muller, a semi-finalist in 2015, has now dropped just seven points on his first serve over two matches, taking out a pair of hot young guns in Thiem and  Borna Coric. Muller, who also reached the fourth round of the Australian Open last year, could push past his career-high of No. 34 in the Emirates ATP Rankings if he goes on to win the Sydney title.

French qualifier Nicolas Mahut was a three-set 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 winner over No. 5 seed Andreas Seppi of Italy. Joining Mahut in the winners’ circle were Teymuraz Gabashvili (d. Federico Delbonis 6-3, 6-3), No. 8 seed Alexandr Dologopolov (d. Alexander Sarkissian 7-6(6), 6-2) and No. 6 seed Jeremy Chardy (d. James Duckworth 7-6(5), 6-4). 

Watch live streaming of the Australian Open qualifying action.

Making his 2016 debut, No. 4 seed Kevin Anderson grabbed the first open spot in the ASB Classic quarter-finals on Wednesday with a narrow 7-6(8), 7-6(5) win over Dutch qualifier Robin Haase.

“It was a really tough match,” said Anderson, an Auckland semi-finalist last year. “I think both of us were taking care of our serves. It was a little windy. It was tough to find your rhythm. But I just stuck with it. It’s my first match. Given that, I thought I played pretty well. There are a few things I would like to do a little better. Robin came out and served well, returned well, and I made it a little tough on myself at the end.”

Haase, No. 64 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was a perfect 15 for 15 on first-serve points heading into the first-set tie-break. But despite a pair of set points in the tie-break, he would let the set slip away with an ill-time double fault.

The first service break of the match didn’t come until the seventh game of the second set, Anderson further distancing himself at 4-3. However, Haase later leveled the match, breaking his opponent at love for 5-all and later forcing a tie-break. But trailing 4-2, Anderson reeled off four of the next five points for victory, sealing it with a forehand return winner.

Making his fifth Auckland appearance in the past six years, Anderson was one of three players to cross the 1,000-ace barrier (1,074) in 2015. On Wednesday, the 12^th-ranked South African needed just eight to pull off the one-hour, 46-minute win.

In all, Haase won 36 of 41 first-serve points (87%), but converted just one of three break-point opportunities in the losing effort.

Anderson’s next test will be American Jack Sock, who took down doubles partner Vasek Pospisil of Canada 6-2, 6-4 in 76 minutes.

Also in action on Wednesday at the ASB Arena was top seed and four-time champion David Ferrer, who rolled past Australian qualifier Matthew Barton in 65 minutes 6-2, 6-4.

The Spaniard, who owns more Auckland titles than any other player in the Open Era, winning in 2007 and 2011-2013, took a wild card into the draw after an opening-round loss in Doha last week. He was a perfect 11 for 11 on first-serve points in taking the first set, and would win 23 of 26 (88%) in total in moving into the quarter-finals.

Ferrer is now 17-2 as a top seed in Auckland.

Barton, who in his 13th attempt qualified for his first ATP World Tour main draw, then won his tour-level debut against American Steve Johnson on Monday, finished with six aces to two doubles faults.

No. 8-seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agust saved both break points he faced in downing American Donald Young 6-4, 7-6(3) in one hour and 26 minutes. Czech Lukas Rosol scored a 6-4, 7-6(5) upset of No. 5-seeded Frenchman Benot Paire.   

Doubles: Seeds advance

No. 4 seeds Eric Butorac and Scott Lipsky battled past Jonathan Marray and Aisam-Ul-Haq Quershi 6-4, 3-6, 13-11 to advance in the doubles draw. Austrians Julian Knowle and Oliver Marach defeated Albert Ramos-Vinolas and Victor Estrella Burgos 7-6(6), 6-4.

No. 3 seeds Philipp Petzschner/Alexander Peya defeated Spaniards Guillermo Garcia-Lopez/David Marrero 7-6(3), 6-3.

With four teens in the Top 100 of the Emirates ATP Rankings, the youth movement on the ATP World Tour is rapidly gaining momentum.

The last 15 months have seen three 18 year olds crack the century mark, and if Taylor Fritz has his way, the American will join the exclusive club very soon. World No. 44 Borna Coric entered the Top 100 in October 2014, weeks before turning 19, followed by No. 51 Hyeon Chung in April of last year and No. 83 Alexander Zverev a month later.

“I’ve decided I want to be in the Top 100 by the end of the year,” Fritz told ATPWorldTour.com. “That’s my main goal. I want to finish the year in the Top 100.”

Read: 10 Questions For Taylor Fritz

Rising to the precipice of the Top 150, at World No. 154, after clinching his third ATP Challenger Tour title on Sunday in Happy Valley, Fritz is enjoying unprecedented success at such a young age. The Rancho Santa Fe, California native denied Dudi Sela 7-6(7), 6-2 in the final, improving his sublime Challenger record to 22-5. With only 35 Emirates ATP Rankings points to defend before October, Fritz is in strong shape to achieve his goal.

“I’m really excited (to be playing at the professional level). I’ve been playing the juniors for the past couple of years and now I’m excited to play the whole pro schedule and see where I end up.

“It feels really good to be having these wins against guys who will be in the Australian Open qualifying. I’m going to take it one match at a time and hopefully tomorrow I can get the win. I’m feeling good regardless going into the Australian Open.”

Watch ATP World Tour Uncovered: Taylor Fritz

Fritz will next head to the Australian Open to contest his third Grand Slam qualifying event and first down under. The last American teen to qualify for a major was Tommy Paul just a few months ago at the US Open.

Fritz, who notched his first ATP World Tour match win on debut in Nottingham (d. Carreno Busta) last year, is ready for more tour-level success in 2016, thanks to a dedicated off-season training block.

“It would be to do all the right things on and off the court,” Fritz said of his New Year’s resolution. “That is, be healthy, work hard all the time and be more of a professional off the court.

“I’ve worked on a lot of fitness in the off-season. I’ve tried to put on a little weight and get stronger, which I was able to do. On court, I worked on a lot of movement, transitioning and slicing. They were parts of my game that weren’t all there. I think I made a lot of progress.”

Fritz Fast Facts

• One of three American teens in the Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings (Donaldson, Tiafoe).

• Won first ATP World Tour match on debut in Nottingham last year. One of 12 teens to win a match at ATP World Tour or Grand Slam level in 2015.

• Owns 22-5 ATP Challenger Tour record, with three titles won in  just eight tournaments.

• First 18 year old to win three Challenger titles since Hyeon Chung (won four) last year.

• Became second player (Horst Skoff) under the age of 18 to win back-to-back Challenger titles with consecutive crowns in Sacramento and Fairfield. Saved a combined 47 of 51 break points in doing so.

• Became ninth player to win multiple Challenger titles while under the age of 18, joining Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Juan Martin del Potro and Tomas Berdych.

• Win over Jared Donaldson in Sacramento final was the first all-teen Challenger final since 2007, when Mischa Zverev beat Lukas Lacko in Istanbul.