Keegan Rice’s impressive run at the Odlum Brown VanOpen showed no signs of slowing down at Hollyburn Country Club on Wednesday.

The 20-year-old from Regina, Saskatchewan, dug deep in a tight three-set battle, outlasting Great Britain’s Harry Wendelken 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 to earn a spot in the quarterfinals.

In a match that lasted nearly two hours, Rice capitalized on crucial moments, converting five of eight break points – including the decisive break late in the third set to close out the victory.

“It was a great battle, he is a great player,” Rice said following the win. “There were ups and downs throughout the match, but I just stuck with it, stuck with my game, and kept believing in myself the whole way through.”

Rice arrived in Vancouver carrying some momentum after a positive stretch on the professional circuit. The former top 40 ITF junior reached his first career ITF World Tennis Tour singles final at the M25 Laval earlier this month, where he entered unseeded and stunned former World No. 113 Liam Draxl en route to the championship match.

That composure under pressure showed again on Wednesday. After dropping the second set, the University of Virginia standout stayed committed to playing aggressive tennis down the stretch in the decider.

“It’s what I practice every single day,” Rice said of his mindset on big points. “I know that it’s going to pay off in the long run, whether it’s that game, the set, or the match. Over 25 to 35 weeks a year, I know that if I keep trusting in myself, it’ll pay off.”

The victory vaults Rice into the final eight of an ATP Challenger 125 tournament for the first time in his career, adding another major milestone to a resume that already includes junior Grand Slam appearances at the Australian Open, Roland-Garros, and Wimbledon.

“Unbelievable,” Rice said. “I’ve been working hard this summer, so it’s fun to see all of the work over the past months show.”

Photo credit: Bo Mon Kwan