Ram/Salisbury Save MP, Reach Toronto QFs

Third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury escaped a thrilling Match Tie-break on Thursday to book their ticket to the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers quarter-finals.

The American-British duo escaped Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen 6-7(3), 6-3, 12-10 to advance after one hour, 50 minutes. In the Match Tie-break, Gille and Vliegen won three consecutive points from 7/9 to earn match point. Ram and Salisbury then tallied three consecutive points themselves, converting their third match point.

Aiming for their first title of the season above ATP 250 level, Ram and Salisbury will next meet Max Purcell and Andrey Rublev, who defeated Americans Nathaniel Lammons and Jackson Withrow 7-6(5), 7-6(7).

Eighth seeds Santiago Gonzalez and Edouard Roger-Vasselin, who won in Los Cabos last week, also won after saving two match points against Sadio Doumbia and Fabien Reboul. The Mexican-French team survived 6-3, 6-7(3), 12-10 and will next face second seeds Marcelo Arevalo and Jean-Julien Rojer.

Fourth seeds Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Ebden cruised past Jamie Murray and Michael Venus 6-3, 6-3. Sixth seeds Kevin Krawietz and Tim Puetz downed wild cards Nicolas Mahut and Vasek Pospisil 6-2, 6-4.