Adam Thompson became the only New Zealander still in the singles competition at the US$10,000 ($15,300) Futures tennis event at North Harbour after scoring an impressive straight-set win in his second-round match.
Thompson, 21, beat American qualifier Brandon Fallon 7-6(2), 6-2 and now faces top seed Takahiro Terachi ofJapan, who dispatched a fatigued Kiwi wildcard Lee Radovanovich with powerful hitting.
Teenager William Ward came close to joining Thompson in the quarters, leading his Thai Davis Cup opponent in the first set and then in the second set tiebreak before falling to his opponent Sonchat Ratiwatana 6-4, 7-6(5).
Ward showed plenty of potential in his match and proved that his backhand is his winning shot and that he has a "hate-to-lose" attitude which may, with more experience, assist him in the future.
Ward did have some success in the doubles with partner Chris Letcher from Australia as they won their first-round match to collect another ranking point.
The pair beat the United Kingdom's Aidan Graveson and Robert Green 6-4, 6-1.
For Radovanovich his third-set tiebreak victory late at night over Dan King-Turner in the first round set him up again for an ATP ranking, but it seemed that effort left him with limited gas in the tank for his clash with Terachi.
Terachi's next Kiwi opponent, Thompson, played a conservative match to beat Fallon by slowing his serve and showing patience in the rally, which he'll need plenty of if he is to challenge Terachi.
The Thompson match will be played after 5.30pm today, indoors at the More FM North Harbour Tennis Park.
