After all, Cuevas had previously won just two ATP-level matches on grass in his entire career and Johnson is still in search of his first ATP title.
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World number 41 Muller was beaten by Bernard Tomic at the quarter-final stage at Queen’s last week, having ousted David Ferrer en route to the final in s-Hertogenbosch, and is once again mounting a strong challenge for a first ATP World Tour title this week.
Second seed Cuevas will face Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the last eight.
Johnson, seeded sixth, sealed the victory in the following game on his second match point.
The 26-year-old from Redondo Beach, California, edged out Uruguayan Pablo Cuevas 7-6 (7/5) 7-5 in the final warm-up tournament before Wimbledon starts. Now I move better and feel much more comfortable. I’m so happy to win and it fills me with confidence. “I am so happy, it’s my first final on grass”.
Cuevas then seized the initiative in the third, asking many questions of the Muller serve before getting the breakthrough in the fifth game to lead 3-2. “I liked the way I kept my composure and came back from the darkness delay….”
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“I won the Challenger here to get into the top 100 and get a wildcard into Wimbledon, all at the same time, to play my first Wimbledon”.
