KEY POINTS:
Fourth seed Nicolas Almagro has survived an early scare to advance to the quarter-finals at Auckland's Heineken Open.
The Spaniard came from a set down to beat Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei 6-7 6-3 6-2.
Almagro says it was a difficult way to start 2009. But he says he is happy with the victory and expects to play better in the quarter-finals.
Nicholas Almagro will face sixth seeded American Sam Querrey in the final eight. Querrey also came from a set down before beating Luxembourg';s Gilles Muller 3-6 6-3 6-4.
- NEWSTALK ZB
