DELRAY BEACH, Fla., March 7 (UPI) -- Defending champion Jan-Michael Gambill, the second seed, pulled away Wednesday to beat fellow American Mardy Fish, 6-3, 6-7 (2-7), 6-1, and advance to the quarterfinals of the International Tennis Championships.
The 24-year-old Gambill reached the final four at Memphis and San Jose in the past two weeks after starting the 2002 campaign 0-3.
Gambill, who rallied to beat Wayne Arthurs of Australia at the Delray Beach Tennis Center on Tuesday, had an easier time down the stretch against Fish.
"I played a good third set, a solid first set, but the second set I had a break but I let it go," Gambill said. "It was disappointing to let the second set go so easy. I couldn't think about it too much because I wanted to jump on him quickly in the third set."
Gambill beat Xavier Malisse of Belgium in the Delray Beach final a year ago to capture his second career ATP title.
He will meet Andre Sa of Brazil in the last eight. Sa upset No. 6 Lars Burgsmuller of Germany, 7-6 (8-6), 7-5, to reach the quarterfinals for the first time in seven outings this year on the ATP Tour.
Sa closed 2001 by earning semifinals berths in the claycourt events at Santiago and Montevideo.
Anthony Dupuis of France recorded Wednesday's other upset, knocking off seventh seed Jarkko Nieminen of Finland, 2-6, 7-6 (9-7), 6-1.
Dupuis' quarterfinal opponent will be Spanish qualifier Feliciano Lopez, who rallied past American Michael Russell, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.
