Mmoh Stuns Shapovalov To Reach Delray Beach QFs

Michael Mmoh is feeling right at home at the Delray Beach Open after his second straight three-set win earned him a place in the quarter-finals of the Florida ATP 250. The 25-year-old, who was born in Saudi Arabia and holds both American and Australian citizenship, upset third seed Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 3-6, 6-3 on Wednesday night.

Mmoh stormed back from 1-4 down in the opening set, then escaped 0/40 at 2-2 in the third before claiming his third break late in the set and serving out the victory.

“It’s amazing,” Mmoh said after winning in front of the supportive Delray Beach crowd. “I’ve been in Florida for the past 10 years. I call this my home state. To have a packed-out crowd like I did tonight, there was lot more people on Wednesday night than there was on Monday. Thank all you guys for coming out.”

After riding a hot start in his first-round win against fellow American Aleksandar Kovacevic, Mmoh overcame a slow opening against Shapovalov, who suffered his third straight tour-level defeat.

“I think I just started off a little flat,” he said. “I just tried to tell myself to increase the energy… I wanted, win or lose, just to have energy. That got me back in the first set, and unfortunately I lost the second but my energy was there throughout. I think that’s part of the reason I got the W.”

Mmoh will face Mackenzie McDonald in the quarter-finals after the American’s 6-3, 3-6, 6-2 upset of fifth seed Yoshihito Nishioka.

In the bottom half of the draw, Marcos Giron and fourth seed Miomir Kecmanovic will meet in the quarters after both scored straight-sets wins on Wednesday. Giron ended the dream ATP Tour debut of 33-year-old Matija Pecotic with a 6-3, 6-3 win, while Kecmanovic downed Nuno Borges 6-3. 7-5.