Uniondale - Top-seeded Kevin Anderson needed a third-set tie-breaker to beat American Ernesto Escobedo 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) on Thursday in the second round of the New York Open.
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The US Open runner-up from South Africa was playing his first match at the tournament after receiving a first-round bye. He advanced to face another American, Frances Tiafoe, who reached his first ATP quarter-final by beating Israel's Dudi Sela 6-4, 3-6, 6-0.
No 6 seed Ryan Harrison, the last champion when this tournament was in Memphis, Tennessee, before moving to Long Island this year, was upset by Ivo Karlovic of Croatia 6-4, 6-4. Karlovic will face second-seeded American Sam Querrey, a 6-4, 6-3 winner over Russia's Mikhail Youzhny.
Results from ATP Tour New York Open on Thursday (x denotes seed):
Men's singles
Second round
Kevin Anderson (RSA x1) bt Ernesto Escobedo (USA) 3-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5)
Sam Querrey (USA x2) bt Mikhail Youzhny (RUS) 6-4, 6-3
Ivo Karlovic (CRO) bt Ryan Harrison (USA x6) 6-4, 6-4
Frances Tiafoe (USA) bt Dudi Sela (ISR) 6-4, 3-6, 6-0