Argentine fan favourite races into semi-finals
Enigmatic qualifier Juan-Pablo Brzezicki's enthusiasm, boundless energy and lethal groundstrokes have propelled him into the XL Capital Bermuda Open semi-final.
Playing against a tired Paul Goldstein, the Argentine ? ranked 179 in the world ? once again won over the crowd on his way to a colourful 6-1, 7-6 (2) victory.
In the absence of a Henman Hill, the place to be this year are the Brzezicki Bleachers or even the Brzezicki Boxes ? which basically covers every seating position around Cente Court at Coral Beach.
Even at the start of his second set tiebreak, the clear crowd favourite Brzezicki felt confident enough to joke around with the ballboy, all with his increasingly-recognisable trademark smile sprawling across his face.
The drizzly and overcast conditions kept spectator numbers down, but pretty much everyone who was there was rooting for the affable Argentine.
"I am having one of the best weeks of my life," said Brzezicki, once the now-mandatory post-match kisses were over. "I am feeling good and playing good."
So good was his tennis that Goldstein, once ranked 69 in the world and a doubles winner here in 2001, was all but blown off court in a 23-minute opening set.
Brzezicki's deadly cocktail of scintillating groundstrokes and energy-sapping drop volleys ? not to mention an uncanny ability to retrieve nearly everything ? was all too much for an American still recovering from a three-hour second round victory.
The second set was a little more even, with Goldstein fighting back, although his occasional temper tantrums ? which resulted in a warning after his recently-tossed racquet landed dangerously close to a line judge ? were indicative of the frustration of playing an opponent of Brzezicki's indomitable spirit.
It looked like the game was all bit over with Brzezicki a break up at 2-0 and Goldstein 30-0 down but the Argentine then shied away a little from his normal aggressive style, lengthening the rallies and bringing the American back into the contest.
More deuces were reached and more break points were up for grabs, although too often Goldstein didn't make the most of his opportunities or Brzezicki pulled another miracle winner out of his expansive box of tricks.
But somehow you never felt Brzezicki was going to lose this one and after a 45-minute rain delay, even with Goldstein 5-4 up, there was only ever going to be one winner, with the Argentine taking the tiebreak 7-2.
"It was hard, he was a fighter like me," added Brzezicki. "In the second I didn't attack as much and that was a mistake because it helped him play better. "I am happy to be through, I feel good and I don't mind who I play against."
Who he plays against, however, will remain a mystery until later this morning due to the intervention of the annual XL rain.
With one quarter-final left to play, Thomas Enqvist against Tomas Zib, the heavens opened again, causing the day session to be abandoned. The rain delay aided number two seed Zib, who was forced to play his second round tie against Scoville Jenkins in the first match yesterday after the Thursday rain delay ? he comfortably won 6-4, 6-2.
Zib, who still has a doubles quarter-final to play, will take on Enqvist today at 11 a.m.