Passaro edges tiebreak, downs Gill in US Open qualifying

Francesco Passaro came through the US Open qualifying quarterfinals with a 7-6 6-2 win over Felix Gill, taking the opening set in a tiebreak before pulling clear in the second. The Italian's first serve was close to untouchable, landing 62.9 percent of the time and yielding 88.6 percent of the points behind it, with nine aces to Gill's one. Gill's problem was his own delivery: just 50.7 percent of first serves found the box and only 64.7 percent of those were won. Passaro's seven double faults and 42.3 percent behind the second ball kept things tense early, but the tiebreak settled it and moved him a round from the main draw.