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INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana: American Bobby Reynolds wrapped up a birthday win while Taiwan's Lu Yen-Hsun also reached the quarter-finals at the Indianapolis Tennis Championships on Thursday.
Lu, ranked 77th in the world, had ended a dismal run of six first-round losses dating to last spring earlier this week. He compounded his success with a 6-1, 7-6 (7/1) victory over local Rajeev Ram.
The 24-year-old Taiwanese, owner of eight Challenger titles, received treatment for a back problem in the second set.
He bounced back to finish off the victory in one hour, 43 minutes with six aces and four breaks of serve.
"I felt the problem in the first set when I was a bit tight, but it got worse in the second," said Lu, who was stretched out on the court while the trainer worked on him. "I still had confidence that I could go through.
"I felt more pain in the second. but I took my chances in the tiebreaker to win."
The quarter-final will be the third for Lu, after San Jose and Memphis in 2007. He is the second Asian in as many editions to reach the quarters here, following in the footsteps of South Korean Lee Hyung-taik.
Lu next faces either 2006 champion and top seed James Blake or South Korea's Jun Woong-Sun.
Reynolds turned 26 and marked the big day with a comfortable 6-1, 6-1 victory over Colombian Alejandro Falla.
The journeyman, ranked 90th in the world, will play in the last eight at the ATP level for only the third time in his career after Delray Beach in February and Washington three years ago.
Reynolds beat the heat with a win in just 63 minutes over Falla, ranked 117th.
He had doubles later in the day, and said birthday celebrations would be kept to a minimum as he scouted out his next opponent - the winner of the night match between crafty veteran Vince Spadea or big-hitting young gun Sam Querrey, seeded fourth.
"You know what you are getting with both of them," said the player whose only major career match win came with a first-round knockout of Marat Safin in the first round at Miami four months ago.
"Vince puts a lot of balls back from the baseline, and Sam will try to hurt you with his big serve."
Reynolds was untroubled by Falla, whom he he broke six times in their short meeting.
"It was hot out there," Reynolds said. "I didn't expect the match to go like this. I won but I didn't play at half my level.
"I didn't serve well but I was pleased with my returns. But it's good to go through without playing at your best. You just hope that your best tennis will come in the next match."
- AFP/yb
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