Former world number 8 Jack Sock edged out Liam Broady 7-6 1-6 6-4 in a quarter- final match of real quality at Nottingham on Friday.

Broady had started somewhat slowly in some recent outings but he was right at it from the off here, taking the opening game to 15 with his trademark forehands stretching Sock from the outset.

The big American was also looking in fine fettle and he found two sumptuous forehand winners to bring up the match’s opening break point in the fifth game. Sock was inches away from sealing the break with a passing shot that was just wide, and twice more he brought up break points with high quality forehands only for the equally resilient Broady to save them with an aggressive and confident response.

Having seen off three break points to hold for 3-2, both players were in charge on serve, though a delightful backhand lob from Broady created the inkling of an opening when he led 15-30 as Sock served to stay in the first set, and Broady got himself into the rally on the next point with a strong service return but his brave attempt to catch Sock out, was foiled as his volley on the run went wide.

Sock served himself back to parity at 5-5 and Broady was under huge pressure in the next game when Sock brought up three break points at 0-40. After a deep forehand had saved the first opening, Broady dodged a bullet on the second when his backhand hit the net cord and dropped over before a strong second serve forced Sock to net the third.

Two points later Broady was forcing Sock to serve to stay in the set again but the right-hander was up to the challenge and drew first blood in the tie break when a Broady backhand went long. Parity was restored when a Sock forehand went long for 1-1 but another long Broady forehand handed the mini-break to Sock for 3-1.

Strong serving saw Sock into a 5-2 lead and when he gained some fortune himself with a net cord that saw a Broady half volley go just wide he was 6-3 up and staring at a one set advantage and a strong serve which Broady could only net sealed the set.

Far from being despondent, Broady came out firing at the start of the second set and a forehand deep into Sock’s backhand corner, which the American could only push wide brought up three early break points for Broady- his first of the match. Sock saved the first two but a backhand error gave Broady the first break of the match for 1-0.

Sock fought back bringing up two more break points which Broady staved off – his seventh and eighth of the match- and a Broady backhand sealed the second game. The rest of the set passed in a blur as Sock, whose commitment to the set varied, produced a number of errors as the final five games passed in just 13 minutes and Broady recorded a 6-1 verdict with three breaks.

It was immediately clear that the deciding set would be a much tougher proposition with Sock signalling his intent with a sizzling backhand to bring up the opening point of the set. And four points later a Broady backhand sailed long to allow Sock to finally break Broady’s serve at the ninth attempt and give him a third set lead that he would never lose.

Broady’s most promising chance for a response came in the fourth game of the set when he went out to a 0-30 lead but two netted service returns saw that promising opening disappear and it was Broady, who was forced to Deuce in the set’s ninth game, who was struggling most to hold on to his serve.

Despite holding to force Sock to serve out the match, Sock proved up to the challenge, and a dazzling rally that saw the capacity number 1 court on the edge of their seats, ended with a superb Sock down the line backhand winner to bring a very high-quality contest to an end. With the exception of the one sided second set, the American, who looks to be returning to his best form following an injury related drop down the rankings, had edged the encounters facing no further break points, whilst Broady’s bravery was illuminated by the statistic that showed that he had saved nine of the ten break points he had faced.

It was confirmed shortly after the match that Liam Broady had been awarded a coveted wild card into next week’s ATP 500 event at Queen’s club in London which was fitting reward for an impressive showing in the opening two grass court super Challengers in Nottingham and Surbiton and he will travel down to the capital in good shape following a superb performance against a high quality opponent.

‘Squash shot’ propels Broady to comeback win in Nottingham

A dramatic on the run ‘squash shot’ from Liam Broady late in the second set proved the pivotal moment in a fluctuating 2-6 7-5 6-2 win over talented young Finn Otto Virtanen.

The big moment came with Broady already 15-0 down as Virtanen attempted to serve to stay in the second set at 6-5 down. The big hitting Finn seemed destined to win the rally when he sent Broady scurrying to his left to retrieve forehand from halfway up the court, Broady could only offer a hopeful lob that Virtanen smashed to his other side, but with lightning speed and reflexes Broady sprinted the width of the court to punt a forehand down the line to stun his young opponent.

The rattled Virtanen then hit a routine forehand long, shanked an ugly backhand wide and finally offered up a double fault to put Broady back on level terms at 1 set all.

Earlier, it had been the impressive Virtanen- in red hot form after qualifying and reaching the semi-finals in Surbiton last week- who had looked the likely victor.

Moving easily and with big shots on both sides Virtanen had looked imperious in the first set as he peppered winners around the court breaking twice as Broady struggled to get a foothold in the match, bringing up a 6-2 opening set verdict.

After a more even start to the second set, a pair of errors from the Stockport-born left hander brought up a break point at 2-2, which he saved with a brave forehand which Virtanen was unable to return at the very back corner of the corner.

Although Virtanen was twice in jeopardy on his own serve at 0-30, stout defending and big serving extricated him both times and the break points he faced at 6-5 were the first he had faced in the entire match.

Although Virtanen opted for toilet break to try and compose himself before the deciding set, it was Broady who continued in the ascendance with Virtanen’s inexperience being betrayed by some fairly negative body language as Broady’s grip on the match tightened.

Broady took early control of the decider, breaking to love when a Virtanen forehand drifted wide, but a lapse in concentration saw Broady butcher two game points in the third game- the first with a forehand when well placed and the second with a netted volley.

The brit was in no mood to let his hard work go to waste though and despite being dragged back to Deuce three times, the roar that Broady let out when he put away a smash to bring up 3-0 told its own story.

Both players held with reasonable comfort twice to leave the young Finn serving to stay in the match at 2-5.

Broady went into a 15-30 lead before Virtanen won a temporary reprieve when a second serve that was initially called long was over-ruled by the umpire. The reprieve was only temporary as Broady whose raking groundstrokes were now tormenting his young opponent brought up his first match point when he followed up a deep forehand with a drop volley and a smash winner.

The crowd that had packed onto Nottingham’s Number 1 court wanted a grand finale and they weren’t disappointed as the match was decided with the longest rally of the day- 24 shots as Virtanen probed for an opening and Broady scurried to keep the ball in play. Finally the Finn followed a deep forehand with a charge to the net only to be left reaching for a Broady backhand passing shot attempt. Virtanen could only plop the ball back into play and Broady brought up huge cheers as his backhand confirmed his victory.

Just minutes after the match finished, rain fell which prevented any further play at Nottingham for more than four hours leaving a relieved Broady back in the hutch with his Quarter Final opponents waiting around to see if they could back on court.

After the match, Broady reflected on a huge comeback win saying ;”It’s a huge relief to seal the win before the rain fell. I didn’t start well, and he was playing really well, he’s a talent and I had to hang in there in the second set.

“I think the point at 15-0 5-6 was probably the key one, it felt huge at the time with the way the crowd responded and so it proved. I am pleased with how I played as the game went on and looking forward to attempting to reach Saturday’s semi- final tomorrow once I know who my opponent is.”

Broady into 2nd round with Lestienne win

Liam Broady secured a 6-4 4-6 6-3 win over France’s quixotic right-hander Constant Lestienne. Broady took the first set serving strongly and breaking to love in the fifth game when Lestienne netted a volley, having opened the court up with a cunning drop shot.

He was rarely in trouble on serve until the tenth game of the second set where suddenly, out of nowhere, Lestienne conjured up two break points. Although Broady saved those he hadn’t entirely extricated himself from danger and soon faced a third set point which he lost to push the game into a decider.

Broady drew first blood in the deciding set, breaking Lestienne in the opening game and withstanding some moments of danger to go 2-0 up.

A tense sixth game saw the Frenchman back on level terms but Broady instantly returned the favour, breaking to love to go 4-3 up with a break.

Lestienne again pressured the Broady serve, getting 0-30 up but was unable to take advantage and Broady secured the win in a long ninth game of three deuces when a Lestienne forehand sailed long to give Broady the win.

He will face 20 year old Finn Otto Virtanen in the second round. Virtanen is on a hot streak after qualifying and reaching the semi-finals in Surbiton this week and then qualifying and knocking out Australian number 4 seed John Millman in Nottingham today.

Pre-match preview – Lestienne first up in Nottingham

Liam has drawn 174th-ranked Frenchman Constant Lestienne in the opening round of the Nottingham 125K Challenger which he expects to play on Tuesday.

Lestienne won the pair’s only previous meeting, prevailing 7-6 6-2 in the opening qualifying round of the 2021 Australian Open. Lestienne started 2022 brightly, reaching a Challenger final on home soil in Cherbourg and semi finals in Lille (Indoor Hard court, March) and Ostrava (Clay, April) but went out in the first round in his last two events.

Lestienne, who is 30, played on clay in Italy last week, so this will be his first competitive run-out on a grass court this year. He has previously tended to steer clear of the grass, and this will be his first career Challenger match on the surface, having played four previous unsuccessful attempts at qualifying for Wimbledon.