Chris Eaton had a superb victory over Spaniard Guillermo Garcia-Lopez to reach the final round of qualifying at The Slazenger Open in Nottingham.
Eaton had a comparatively straight forward first match of the day against fellow Brit Neil Bamford who was forced to retire during the second set. The British number 13 was pushed all the way in his second match against world number 91 Guillermo Garcia-Lopez and shortly before 9pm secured a 6-4 7-5 victory.
Eaton went ahead early in the first set and a combination of powerful serving and clinical finishing at the net helped the 20 year old from Surrey claim the first set. The second set went with serve until the tenth game with both players performing well under pressure. Eaton took his opportunity to break the Spaniard's serve and then served out for the biggest win of his career to date.
Speaking after the match Eaton was delighted with his performance: "It feels fantastic to have won today and I'm really looking forward to playing a very good player tomorrow."
The LTA's Head Coach of Men's Tennis Paul Annacone was watching the British performances on day one in Nottingham and was pleased with the results. "It was a good day today. We've got three players in the final round of qualifying, two young guys who really performed well against experienced players and Alex Bogdanovic played some great tennis. I was impressed with the guys who didn't win today too and I think they can take a lot from their performances out there."
Tickets are currently on sale for The Slazenger Open which offers sports fans a fantastic opportunity to watch some world class tennis. Ticket information is available from the box office on 0871 945 3000. The qualifying for this year’s event starts on Saturday 14th June with the main draw beginning on Monday 16th June.