Cape Town - Rising South African tennis star Lloyd Harris has reached the quarter-finals of the ATP event in Adelaide, Australia.
The 22-year-old defeated Serbia's world No 40 Laslo Djere 7-6 (7/5), 6-3 in their second round clash on Wednesday.
Harris, who came through qualifying at the ATP 250 event, defeated Chile's world No 36 Christian Garin 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 6-4 in the first round.
He will next face Spain's world No 30 Pablo Carreno Busta on Thursday. Carreno Busta dispatched big-hitting Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-2.
Harris entered the event ranked 99th in the ATP rankings, but improved to 91st when the rankings were updated on Monday.
The South African also performed admirably at the ATP Cup last week, losing a tight match 6-3, 6-7 (4/7), 3-6 to Serbia's Dusan Lajovic, beating Chile's Nicolas Jarry 6-4, 6-4, before going down to French veteran Gilles Simon 6-2, 2-6, 2-6.
Harris made great strides last year by qualifying for the main draws of all four Grand Slam events.
He also won his first Grand Slam match at the French Open when he defeated Czech qualifier Lukas Rosol 6-1, 4-6, 2-6, 6-1, 6-2 in a five-set classic at Roland Garros.
He achieved a career-high ranking of 82nd in July.
- Compiled by Herman Mostert
Results on day four of the ATP-WTA Adelaide International at Memorial Drive:
Men's singles
Second round
Tommy Paul (USA) bt Pablo Cuevas (URU) 6-1, 6-2
Lloyd Harris (RSA) bt Laslo Djere (SRB) 7-6 (7/5), 6-3
Andrey Rublev (RUS x3) bt Sam Querrey (USA) 6-3, 6-3
Albert Ramos (ESP) bt Jaume Munar (ESP) 7-6 (7/3), 6-3
Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP x4) bt Jeremy Chardy (FRA) 6-3, 6-2
Women's singles
Second round
Donna Vekic (CRO) bt Maria Sakkari (GRE) 2-6, 7-5, 6-1
Dayana Yastremska (UKR) bt Angelique Kerber (GER x9) 6-3, 2-0 ret
Danielle Collins (USA) bt Sofia Kenin (USA x7) 6-3, 6-1
Lloyd Harris' winning run continued at the Adelaide International in Australia, on Wednesday. The SA star is through to the quarter-finals of the men's singles after beating Laslo Djere 7-6(5), 6-3. Djere, from Serbia, is currently ranked 40th in the ATP men's global rankings. pic.twitter.com/cfrrfRr8Zt
— Tennis South Africa (@TennisSA) January 15, 2020