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Watch hot shot as Nick Kyrgios and Rafael Nadal battle at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Watch Hot Shot as Roger Federer proved to be a wall on Wednesday against Fernando Verdasco at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Photo: AFP/Getty Images. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Seven-time former champion Roger Federer recorded his 50th match win at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships on Wednesday night with a hard-fought 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory over Fernando Verdasco, the 2017 finalist, in one hour and 35 minutes.

“I'm happy I actually stayed calm throughout the game," said Federer. "I felt like I was having a good feeling out there. Even though I wasn't playing my best, I still felt like it was going to fall my way when it really mattered. I think that confidence is kind of important in sports or in tennis. I'm happy I had it today… I played good at the end. I had the serve when I needed it, had some good shots, a good point on break point when I needed it. That was nice to win it that way.”

Federer, who was informed on court that it was his 50th victory, in Dubai admitted, “I was like, ‘Phew, 50, a lot of tennis here in Dubai. I'm very happy. It's a big number. I'm not sure if I'm going to get to 100. Let's put it that way (smiling).”

By moving to within three victories of capturing the 100th trophy of his career, Federer will next challenge Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics, who was a 6-4, 6-2 victor over Jan-Lennard Struff of Germany earlier in the day. Federer beat Fucsovics in their only FedEx ATP Head2Head series meeting at the 2018 Australian Open.

“I know Marton quite well actually,” said Federer. “He came to Zurich to train with me. He was nice enough to come there. I don't remember how long we spent, but a few days practising together there. We had a great time. Then, I played him at the Australian Open last year. [It was a] good match… He's improved. He likes the fast surfaces. He likes to play up in the court. He has the power when required. I think it's going to be definitely a match that's going to test me tomorrow.”

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In their first meeting for four years (2015 Dubai), Federer mixed up his service placement and tactics to keep Verdasco on the back foot. Verdasco double faulted to gift Federer a 3-1 advantage and was tentative on serve at 2-5, when the Spaniard recovered from 0/30. Federer, who lost five of his service points in the 28-minute opener, closed out when Verdasco hit a backhand return into the net.

In a dramatic reversal, centred largely on Federer moving away from serving to Verdasco’s slice backhand, the momentum of the match shifted. Verdasco saved a break point in the first game of the second set and soon found himself with a 3-0 lead. Federer continued to serve and volley off his first delivery, but Verdasco held his nerve to win his first set against the second seed since November 2009 at the Nitto ATP Finals (Federer won 4-6, 7-5, 6-1).

Federer looked to stamp his authority on the third set, early on, but Verdasco’s serve had great fluency and his movement on the baseline had improved. Federer saved one break point at 1-1, 30/40, and then held to love in his next two service games. A net cord winner for Federer at 4-3, with Verdasco serving at 30/30 set up a break point, which resulted in a 26-stroke rally. He is now 50-6 overall in Dubai.

“These best-of-three set matches, you're not always in control of everything because, like you saw at the end, a good five minutes from your opponent or a good five minutes from you can decide the outcome of the match,” said Federer. “You're definitely living on the edge at some point in the match. This is how it is.”

The 37-year-old Federer is attempting to become the second man in the Open Era to capture 100 singles title (after Jimmy Connors, 109). The Swiss superstar, the champion at the Aviation Club in 2003-05, 2007, 2012, 2014-2015, improves to a 5-1 record in 2019.

Earlier in the day, Georgia’s Nikoloz Basilashvili broke a two-match losing streak against defending champion Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 6-7(2), 6-4, 6-3 in two hours and 12 minutes. He will next face sixth-seed Croatian Borna Coric, who needed two hours and 13 minutes to get past 2013-14 finalist Tomas Berdych 1-6, 6-1, 7-6(4).

Watch as Nick Kyrgios hits an unreal backhand winner against Rafael Nadal at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Watch live matches at http://www.tennistv.com. Photo: Hector Vivas/Getty Images

Gael Monfils talks about recording his seventh straight win on Wednesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships with victory over Marcos Baghdatis. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Stan Wawrinka looks to continue his best tennis after defeating Steve Johnson at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Watch live matches at http://.www.tennistv.com

Watch Hot Shot as Gael Monfils showcases perfect tecnhique on a low volley against Marcos Baghdatis on Wednesday in Dubai. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Watch Stan Wawrinka wrap up his first set against Steve Johnson with an exclamation point at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Watch live matches at http://www.tennistv.com. Photo: PEDRO PARDO/AFP/Getty Images

Hubert Hurkacz reflect on the first Top 10 win of his career over Kei Nishikori on Wednesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Hubert Hurkacz caused a major upset on Wednesday afternoon at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships when he recorded the first Top 10 victory of his career (1-2 overall) for a place in his first ATP Tour quarter-final.

The big-serving Pole grew in confidence against top-seeded Japanese Kei Nishikori, winner of the Brisbane International title last month, and triumphed 7-5, 5-7, 6-2 in two hours and three minutes at the Aviation Club in Dubai.

“It's [a] huge win for me because it's the first Top 10 win,” said Hurkacz. "Maybe I was better prepared mentally for this battle today. It gives me huge confidence. I'm going to try to keep going forward.

“I was trying to fight for every point. Kei is an unbelievable player. I had to serve well. That gave me some opportunities to attack after the serve [and] also win [a] couple of easy points. Against such a great player, it's very important to have some free points. I also think I was returning quite well… I'm very happy with the win today.”

Hurkacz, who hit 31 winners and converted six of his seven break point opportunities, will next play fifth-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas, who cruised past Belarusian qualifier Egor Gerasimov 6-3, 6-1 in 57 minutes. Tsitsipas leads Hurkacz 2-0 in their FedEx ATP Head2Head, including a 6-4, 6-2 win last week in Marseille and en route to the 2018 Next Gen ATP Finals in Milan.

Nishikori served for the first set 5-4, but Hurkacz broke and won eight of the next nine points to take the 41-minute opener — with Nishikori hitting a forehand approach into the net. Nishikori took a 4-0 lead in the second set, but missed out on four set point chances when serving at 5-2. At 5-5, Hurkacz led 30/0, but proceeded to lose the next seven points and Nishikori wrapped up the set with a smash winner.

The 22-year-old Hurkacz powered his way through the decider, breaking for a 3-1 lead with a big backhand down the line that Nishikori could not scramble back. The Pole broke for the sixth time overall, when Nishikori over-hit a forehand long of the baseline (his 32nd error). Nishikori drops to 12-3 on the season, which includes a title run at the Brisbane (d. Medvedev) and a semi-final exit at the recent ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam (l. to Wawrinka).

“He played well today,” said Nishikori. “I didn't serve well when I wanted to… It happens. That cost me some important points. I think he really played well in the important games.”

In the second match of the day on Centre Court, Gael Monfils recorded his 11th match win of the season by knocking out Cypriot wild card Marcos Baghdatis, the 2016 finalist, 6-3, 6-2 in 65 minutes. Monfils captured the Rotterdam crown (d. Wawrinka) less than two weeks ago. He next meets Lithuanian qualifier Ricardas Berankis, who advanced to his first ATP Tour quarter-final since October 2018 at the VTB Kremlin Cup in Moscow (l. to Medvedev) after a 6-4, 6-1 win over Denis Kudla of the United States.

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Stan Wawrinka makes a statement with this backhand against Steve Johnson at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Watch live matches at http://www.tennistv.com. Photo: Abierto Mexicano Telcel

Watch as the Sao Paulo faithful go wild when Brazilians Thomaz Bellucci and Rogerio Dutra Silva win their doubles match on Wednesday at the Brasil Open.

Watch highlights as Roger Federer and Stefanos Tsitsipas advance on Wednesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live. Photo: AFP/Getty Images

The AFL is reviewing its illicit drugs policy amid criticism players are able to use mental health issues as a loophole to avoid suspension.

Watch Tuesday hightlights of wins for Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev, John Isner and David Ferrer at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC. Photo: Abierto Mexicano Telcel. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

The Australian Rugby League Commission is set to decide the fate of the St George forward after he refuses an offer to stand down of his own accord by NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg.

Four-time former champion David Ferrer reflects on beating Tennys Sandgren on Tuesday night in Acapulco. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

At the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, recent Marseille champion Stefanos Tsitsipas talks about maintaining his momentum following a fantastic 2018 campaign. Watch live tennis at https://www.tennistv.com/live.

Sam Kerr is already the face and scoring power behind the Matildas, and now she'll be wearing the captain's armband as well.

A Gold Coast company is trying to convince surfers in a city famous for its waves to pay for the perfect barrel.