Dedicating his victory

Fernando Verdasco, the top-seeded player in the Pilot Pen men's singles draw, could be excused if his thoughts were anywhere but on his Thursday morning quarterfinal against Mischa Zverev.
The news of Thursday's plane crash which killed 153 in Verdasco's hometown of Madrid left the world's No. 13 ranked player so shaken that he requested to make a statement to the media before his post-match press conference.

"I want to dedicate my victory today to all the victims and all the families of the victims in the flight in Madrid and send them all my support and everything of me that I can," Verdasco said.

"I am so sorry about that. Is my hometown. Is so bad when these things happen, no? I really felt so bad yesterday and today. But I only want to send them all my support and everything for them."

Verdasco put aside his emotions and quickly jumped up on Zverev en route to a 6-2, 7-6 victory and a berth in the semifinals.

Jim Fuller

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