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Nicolas Almagro - Source: Photosport -
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Spanish fourth seed Nicolas Almagro was pushed to the limit but finally quelled the brave challenge of Yen-Hsun Lu 6-7 () 6-4 6-2.
After dropping the first set, and being down a break early in the second, world number 18 Almagro was in real trouble.
The Spainard then reeled off consecutive breaks to take the second set, and continued the momentum into the deciding set to close out the match in almost two and a quarter hours.
Almagro overwhelming emotion was one of relief.
"It was a very tough match to start the year, now I want to rest and wait for tomorrow.
The powerful Spanish sent down 11 aces, some of them 215km/h thunderbolts, but lacked consistency.
"I have the power but I need the control" he admitted after the match.
Almagro, in his first outing of 2009, looked rusty early on and Lu took full advantage taking the initiative in most of the rallies and gaining real confidence.
Best ever year
The Spaniard, who enjoyed his best ever year in 2008 and sits at a career high world ranking of 18 came back into the set, aided by some powerful serves.
The stocky Almagro, who looks like he should be playing centre forward for Real Madrid or Barcelona rather than on the ATP tour, has a compact basic style but is able to generate tremendous pace, up to 215km/h.
Not for the first time this week, the first set went to a tiebreak as Almagro saved the only break point of the set.
After exchanging early points, Lu took a 6-3 lead and had a handful of match points, converting the second to take the set.
Momentum was with the man from Taiwan, and when he grabbed an early break in the second set it looked like the Heineken Open was about to lose it's first seed.
But the Spanish player has played 206 matches on the ATP tour, victorious in 112 and is used to a dogfight.
He lifted his game, breaking the 25-year-old Lu twice to grab the ascendancy in the second set.
Claycourt rarity
Almagro is a rarity among claycourters, favouring a one-handed backhand and what a sweet shot it is.
He brings to mind Swedish legend Stefan Edberg, who was stronger and more consistent from the backhand side.
Lu relies on an all-action running style and seemed to tire slightly in the third set as the Spaniard began to find his range.
Thanks to a favourable net cord, Almagro gained a crucial break in the third game and that was enough to break the back of the contest.
He sealed the third set 6-2, breaking Lu again in the process, and booked his passage to the Quarter-finals where he will face.
Almagro will face world number 36 Sam Querrey in the quarter final, after the American prevailed in the battle of the tall timber out on court four.
1.98m Querrey faced off against 1.93m Gilles Muller (Luxembourg) and triumphed 3-6 6-3 6-4 in a tight contest that featured 17 aces and lasted one hour and 40 minutes.
