Tsitsipas progresses in Dubai as Cilic crashes out

KARIM SAHIB / AFP

Stefanos Tsitsipas sealed a place in the last-16 of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships just 48 hours after winning the Open 13, but it was a different story for 3rd seed Marin Cilic.

Twenty-year-old Tsitsipas, semi-finalist at the Australian Open last month, sealed a three-set victory over Matthew Ebden.

The Greek star won 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 not long after he landed in Dubai, his late arrival coming after he clinched his second ATP title in Marseille on Sunday night.

Speaking afterwards, Tsitsipas admitted it was tough playing so soon after arriving in the emirate:

It wasn't such a outcome for Cilic as the former US Open champion fell in three sets to popular French star Gael Monfils.

After dropping the opening set 6-3, Cilic levelled matters by taking the second set 4-6, but was beaten to love in the decider.

Elsewhere, Borna Ćorić edged past Jiří Veselý 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 while Tomáš Berdych overcame Ilya Ivashka 6-4, 4-6, 7-6.