Lopez doubles up to oust Auckland top seed Fognini

Auckland: Feliciano Lopez, playing his second match of the day, knocked top seed and world number 12 Fabio Fognini out of the ATP Auckland Classic on Wednesday to advance to the quarter-finals.

Third-seed Karen Khachanov was also eliminated, losing to Australian John Millman while the second and fourth seeds, Denis Shapovalov and John Isner, went through to the final eight.

The 38-year-old Lopez, the oldest player in the tournament and one of several players forced to double up following the rain disruption the previous day, played three sets in each match and spent four hours 25 minutes on court.

He began the day beating Pablo Andujar 3-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 and after a three-hour rest, he came from behind to beat Fognini 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

The 61st ranked Lopez believes the rain delay did him a favour.

"The first match was tough but I honestly think it was very helpful for me (before playing) against Fabio," Lopez said.

"It was my first match this year, it was two and a half hours on the court so that was very helpful for me and without that match, I don't think I could have played the way I did against Fabio." Lopez will face Poland's Hubert Hurkacz in the quarter-finals after the sixth-seed put away Mikael Ymer of Sweden 6-2, 7-6 (7/2). While Lopez found two matches beneficial, two other players required to play twice lost in the second round.