WEST VANCOUVER, B.C. - Steven Diez is the second Canuck to earn a quarter-final berth in men's singles play at the Odlum Brown Vancouver Open.
The Toronto native beat Australia's James Duckworth 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 in a second-round match at the Hollyburn Country Club on Thursday to join compatriot Frank Dancevic of Niagara Falls, Ont., in the last eight.
Pierre-Ludovic Duclos of Sainte-Foy, Que., failed to join them after falling 6-3, 6-3 to Jimmy Wang of Chinese Taipei.
Meanwhile, Sergei Bubka and Dudi Sela also made it through, while Dancevic, top seed Igor Sijsling, Danai Udomchoke and Ruben Bemelmans all qualified on Wednesday.
In men's doubles play, Philip Bester of North Vancouver, B.C., and American partner Phillip Simmonds found out who their quarter-final opponent will be when Maxime Authom and Bemelmans won their second-round match.
First-ranked Americans John Paul Fruttero and Rajeev Ram lost their match, meaning fourth-ranked Australians John Peers and John-Patrick Smith are the top duo remaining.
Ottawa's Gabriela Dabrowski and Toronto Sharon Fichman both lost their second-round matches in women's singles action, meaning no more Canadians are left in that draw.
Dabrowski fell 7-5, 6-1 to Julia Glushko while Fichman lost 0-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Monique Adamczak. Second-seed Olivia Rogowska of Australia is the highest-ranked competitor left in the tournament.
No Canadians had advanced to Thursday's women's doubles second-round play, where top seeds Mandy Minella and Olga Savchuk were forced to retire. Third-ranked Americans Jessica Pegula and Taylor Townsend are now favourites heading into the semifinals.
The tournament runs until Aug. 5.
