It was during an ultimately losing battle against cancer that late great basketball coach Jim Valvano punctuated a televised speech with the words `Never give up! Never give up!' Spaniard David Sanchez might have been listening on that auspicious day back in 1993 ... or at least heard about it.

No matter, Sanchez made a bold statement of his own in times of supreme adversity, scoffing at the face of defeat and instead producing the most stunning of victories yesterday, as he ousted the dangerous Fernando Gonzalez from the XL Capital Bermuda Open in three sets 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 6-2.

Standing on the precipice at 1-4 in the second set, Sanchez, the eighth seed, looked a beaten man.

However, digging deep into inner reserves Sanchez effected a miraculous turnaround that left his Chilean opponent baffled, frustrated and -- eventually beaten.

Sanchez broke Gonzalez in the sixth and 10th games, and after both held, the match went to a tiebreak, where Sanchez' mental fortitude prevailed, as he won six of the last eight points to draw even and a set apiece.

Gonzalez, having squandered his opportunity, fell apart in the deciding set, his play punctuated more by tossed racquets and verbal outbursts than positive play.

Sensing the kill, Sanchez aimed and fired, putting his opponent squarely to rest at 6-2 in the final set.

"When I play I look to play hard the whole match and never think to give up,'' said Sanchez, the lone seeded player to reach the quarter-finals. "Even though I was one set down and 1-4 I think not about losing, but I continued to play and was able to win the second set.

"He was playing unbelievable, but it's difficult to play like that for the whole match. I stayed patient and got the chance to win the tiebreaker and take the second set, and I think he got tired after that.'' Sanchez wins fight for survival From Page 19 Earlier the scene was vastly different as Gonzalez, who has an ATP tournament win to his credit, blazed a trail that Sanchez found too hot to venture upon.

Gonzalez was able to push Sanchez around seemingly at will using a powerful arsenal of ground strokes from both the forehand and backhand sides, often leaving Sanchez with the look of bewilderment.

There was no such drama late in the afternoon on Centre Court when American Cecil Mamiit faced off against Flavio Saretta of Brazil.

Mamiit, who ousted Bermuda's James Collieson in the first round, continued his march with a 6-2, 6-3 demolition of the error-prone Brazilian in the second.

The 24-year-old Californian showed off some big ground strokes and great `wheels' as he returned near everything Saretta could throw his way.

Patiently residing at the baseline, Mamiit took advantage of his opponent's propensity to go for big shots, which on this day more often than not resulted in errors.

"He made a lot of errors,'' said Mamiit, who holds a highest ever singles ranking of 72. "He made me work, but he wasn't really scaring me. I felt like I was in every point and I got the opportunity to step in and make some shots that I wanted to hit and I took advantage of them without being afraid.

"Usually on this type of surface I don't take advantage of it and that's where I get killed. Today I took advantage of my opportunities and took it to him, put pressure on him and didn't let him set up and feel comfortable.'' In another singles match George Bastl of Switzerland reached the quarters with a 6-3, 6-4 triumph over Peter Wessels.