Day 11 SF Preview & Schedule: Hurkacz vs. Alcaraz, Ruud vs. Cerundolo

With college basketball's March Madness down to the final four in the U.S., so too is the second leg of the March Masters at the Miami Open presented by Itau. Defending champion Hubert Hurkacz bounced top seed Daniil Medvedev in the quarter-finals to keep his repeat bid alive, while Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud and Francisco Cerundolo are still on course for a first ATP Masters 1000 title. 

Friday's singles semi-finals are the only men's matches on the schedule on Day 11 in Miami.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

[8] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. [14] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)

Hurkacz rides a 10-match winning streak into this semi-final showdown as he prepares to face one of the ATP Tour's hottest players under the Miami sun. The Pole has won three tie-breaks en route to the last four, dropping just one set — to 29th seed Aslan Karatsev — on his way. The 25-year-old seemingly can't lose in Miami, as he's also through to Saturday's doubles final alongside partner John Isner.

Hukacz is thriving under the slow conditions in South Florida, and the same can be said for Carlos Alcaraz, who nurtured his game on Spain's clay courts in his youth. Though he's played just one match in Hard Rock Stadium, the fiery 18-year-old has quickly become a fan favourite in Miami as he's powered through Marin Cilic, Stefanos Tsitsipas and Miomir Kecmanovic to reach back-to-back Masters 1000 semi-finals following his Indian Wells run.

"I think that I'm playing in Spain," Alcaraz said of the stadium crowd's support in his 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5) quarter-final win over Kecmanovic. "It's unbelievable. The energy that they push to me, it was crazy. I think without them it would not be possible to get into the semi-final today."

Hurkacz also made sure to give some love to the crowd following his 7-6(7), 6-3 win over Medvedev — a result that denied Medvedev the chance to reclaim the top spot in the ATP Rankings, and improved Hurkacz to 4-0 against Top 10 opponents in Miami.

"I love the atmosphere here. I don't know. Just feels so good and playing my good tennis here," the Pole said. "Definitely enjoy the full crowds here this year."

The pair will open their ATP Head2Head account when they meet on Friday evening, with no rest day following their quarter-final wins. Alcaraz, now 16-2 on the season, is bidding for his second ATP Tour title of 2022 following his Rio de Janeiro crown in February. Hurkacz enters at 14-5, his best prior result coming in a semi-final run in Dubai. The World No. 10 could become the fifth man to repeat in Miami, following Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andre Agassi and Pete Sampras. 

Alcaraz, already the third-youngest semi-finalist at the event, could become the youngest champion in its 37-year history. Only two men have won an ATP Masters 1000 title at a younger age — Michael Chang (1990, Toronto) and Rafael Nadal (2005, Monte Carlo) were also 18 on their first triumphs. Alcaraz turns 19 on May 5.

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[6] Casper Ruud (NOR) vs. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)

Sixth seed Casper Ruud and Argentine Francisco Cerundolo will both be aiming to reach their first ATP Masters 1000 final when they face off on Friday.

Norwegian star Ruud will enter the clash with far more big-match experience, having captured seven tour-level titles and competed in three Masters 1000 semi-finals before.

However, Cerdundolo has flourished as the underdog on his Masters 1000 debut in Florida. The 23-year-old, who triumphed at an ATP Challenger Tour event in January, has scored sizeable wins this week over Tallon Griekspoor, Reilly Opelka (second-set retirement), Gael Monfils, Frances Tiafoe and Jannik Sinner (first-set retirement due to foot blisters).

“It means a lot [to advance],” Cerundolo said after reaching the semi-finals. “It is everything I have dreamed of. My first Masters 1000, my first semi-final, I might rise to near No. 50 [in the ATP Rankings]. This is going to change everything for me.”

Cerundolo arrived in Miami holding a 0-2 tour-level record on hard courts, but the World No. 103 now looks at home on the surface. His fairytale run means he is the lowest-ranked men's singles semi-finalist in tournament history (1985-2019, 2021-22) and the first player to reach the singles semi-finals on his Masters 1000 debut since Jerzy Janowicz advanced to the final at the Rolex Paris Masters in 2012.

If the Argentine wants to match Janowicz’s achievement he will have to overcome World No. 8 Ruud in what will be the first ATP Head2Head meeting between the pair.

The 23-year-old, who is making his third appearance in Miami, earned the biggest win of his career by ATP Ranking when he eliminated World No. 4 Alexander Zverev 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to reach the last four.

"It feels good and it means a lot,” Ruud said following his victory over the German. “This is my first semi-final in a Masters 1000 on hard courts, so that's a good feeling. I'm very happy to do it here in Miami.

"I've felt good the couple weeks I've been here practising and the matches have felt very good. I want to of course keep going. Today was my toughest challenge yet of the tournament and on Friday will be another big one. I hope that I can take what I've learned from my three previous [Masters 1000] semi-finals and bring it into Friday's match."

This week in Florida, Ruud has also dispatched Henri Laaksonen, Alexander Bublik and Cameron Norrie in straight sets.

The Norwegian has continued to make steady progress this year after enjoying a standout 2021 season, which saw him crack the Top 10, clinch five tour-level titles and advance to the semi-finals on debut at the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin.

So far in 2022, he has earned ATP Cup wins over Dusan Lajovic and Cristian Garin in January, before he triumphed in Buenos Aires. When Ruud takes to court against Cerundolo on Hard Rock Stadium, it will be the first time he has played a Masters 1000 semi-final on hard, having reached the last four at clay-court events in Rome (2020), Monte-Carlo (2021) and Madrid (2021).

ORDER OF PLAY - FRIDAY APRIL 1, 2022

STADIUM start 1:00 pm
ATP - [6] Casper Ruud (NOR) vs. Francisco Cerundolo (ARG)

Not Before 3:00 pm
WTA - [1] Veronika Kudermetova / Elise Mertesn (BEL) vs. [4] Cori Gauff (USA) / Catherine McNally (USA)

Not Before 7:00 pm
[8] Hubert Hurkacz (POL) vs. [14] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP)
Ekaterina Alexandrova / Zhaoxuan Yang (CHN) vs. Laura Siegemund (GER) / Vera Zvonareva

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Alcaraz Breaks Kecmanovic Resistance To Reach Miami SFs

Making his debut in Hard Rock Stadium at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Carlos Alcaraz continued his run of torrid tennis with a 6-7(5), 6-3, 7-6(5) quarter-final victory over Miomir Kecmanovic on Thursday evening.

Both men were competing in consecutive ATP Masters 1000 quarter-finals following deep runs in Indian Wells, and the Spaniard has now equalled his career-best showing at that level by again reaching the final four. Alcaraz did not have a Miami win to his name entering this year's event, but has now strung together four in a row to improve his record on the season to a red-hot 16-2.

Kecmanovic provided a stern test for the 18-year-old, who surrendered a set for the first time in the tournament. But after racing through the opening three games of the match and recovering a late mini-break in the opening tie-break, the Serb could not get over the line against the all-action Alcaraz. 

After some early miscues, the Spaniard locked in early in the second set as he turned the tables on his opponent to take a 3-0 lead of his own. Both men were able to attack effectively on serve as the rest of the set did not see a break point, until Alcaraz saved one in serving out the set. A whipped forehand winner wiped out the opportunity and helped force a final set.

The deciding set did not see a single break point, though both men twice battled through 30/30, including in consecutive games late in the set. Twice down a mini-break at 0-2 and 2-4 in the decisive tie-break, Alcaraz won the final four points of the match to advance, sealing the deal in spectacular fashion with a drop shot and pushed passing shot before dropping to his knees in celebration.

Following the victory, he signed the camera for his coach Juan Carlos Ferrero and Ferrero's father Eduardo, who recently passed away, keeping the former World No. 1 from travelling to Miami. 

Alcaraz will now have less than 24 hours to recover before returning to the stadium court to face defending champion Hubert Hurkacz, a 7-6(7), 6-3 winner over World No. 2 Daniil Medvedev earlier on Thursday.

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Medvedev On Falling Short Of No.1: 'I Don't Think Nerves Were A Part Of This'

Daniil Medvedev entered Thursday's quarter-final knowing a win against Hubert Hurkacz would see him return to the top spot in the ATP Rankings following the Miami Open presented by Itau.

But struggling physically in Hard Rock Stadium, the 25-year-old dropped a 7-6(7), 6-3 decision which will keep him behind Novak Djokovic at World No. 2. 

"For me was more important in a way just to win the match itself than to become a No. 1 by winning the match," said Medvedev, who was not focussed on a return to the top spot. "I saw it more as a bonus. So I don't feel like I was tight or anything because of this. To be honest, I played a lot of matches where I had the pressure, different [types], and it's not like something new happened today in terms of like going out of court and feeling crazy tight or something. So I don't think that nerves were part of this."

Medvedev had to deal with dizziness and fatigue during the match, and was disappointed not to be able to produce his best tennis at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

"All the match I was not feeling my best. But, you know, sometimes it happens," he told the press. "I don't know the actual reason. Maybe the heat. But I was feeling super, like, dizzy, tired, and there was this long game where I couldn't serve anymore. Then in the locker room I was cramping quite much, so physically was not easy. But at the same time, that's part of the game."

Despite the result, Medvedev was happy with his performance in Miami on the whole and feels that his game is trending in the right direction after a 4-2 stretch across Acapulco and Indian Wells.

"I'm kind of happy about the tournament in Miami in a way of tennis ... I managed in Miami to find just a little spark to try to make it work. Today was not enough, but I'm happy that I saw that I'm able to do it."

With few ATP Rankings points to defend during the upcoming clay swing, Medvedev will have every opportunity to fight to reclaim the No. 1 spot in the coming months.

"I'm in the right direction, so it's good," he said to conclude his press conference.

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Hurkacz Swoops Into Miami SFs, Halts Medvedev's No. 1 Quest

Hubert Hurkacz moved to within two wins of retaining his Miami Open presented by Itau title on Thursday as he ended Daniil Medvedev’s World No. 1 bid in empathic fashion on Hard Rock Stadium.

In a tight quarter-final battle, the Pole produced an intense and aggressive performance against Medvedev as he clubbed his groundstrokes and finished points at the net to triumph 7-6(7), 6-3 in two hours and two minutes.

The south Florida sun brings the best out of Hurkacz, with the eighth seed now 10-0 at the tournament since 2021, having captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 crown in Miami last year. This week, the 25-year-old has eliminated Arthur Rinderknech, Aslan Karatsev, Lloyd Harris and Medvedev, with his quarter-final win over the top seed levelling their ATP Head2Head series at 2-2.

“I think the return was crucial. I was able to make a lot of returns and get some free points on my serve, because having rallies with Daniil is fun, but they get long,” Hurkacz said on his on-court interview. “It is good I was able to get some free points.

“I have spent a lot of time in Florida, so I am used to the humidity. I think the conditions were in my favour today, so I tried to use them.”

Medvedev spent three weeks as the World No. 1 from 28 February to 21 March this year before he relinquished the spot to Novak Djokovic. Victory over Hurkacz would have moved Medvedev back to tennis’ summit on Monday.

However, the four-time Masters 1000 champion - who was aiming to reach the semi-finals in Miami for the first time - never found top gear against Hurkacz as he struggled to fully impose his baseline game on the Pole.

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Hurkacz will play either #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz or Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic in the last four as he aims to win his first trophy of the season. The World No. 10 clinched three tour-level crowns in 2021. But his best result this year before Miami was a run to the semi-finals in Dubai.

“Carlos has been playing some amazing tennis this year, only played good matches I think, so that would be super tough,” Hurkacz said. “But Kecmanovic played some super tennis in Indian Wells and he is now backing that up here in Miami. It will be interesting.”

It is just the second time Hurkacz has defeated a Top 2 opponent, with his other win coming against then-World No. 2 Medvedev at Wimbledon in July.

In an entertaining first set, Hurkacz flew into a 3-0 lead as he pulled Medvedev from corner to corner with his heavy ball striking. From 5-2 ahead and seemingly in control though, the World No. 2 showed everybody why he is a 13-time tour-level champion as he hit with greater depth to force a more nervy Hurkacz into errors.

However, the 25-year-old recomposed himself and edged a tight tie-break, receiving a slice of luck at 7/7 when his mis-hit forehand dropped awkwardly at the feet of Medvedev, who could only hit his half-volley long.

Hurkacz continued to play aggressively at the start of the second set as he pressurised Medvedev with deep returns. In a mammoth fifth game, the Pole fired the ball into the corners, stayed patient and eventually gained the break on his sixth break point of the game. He then powered through his final service games and broke a tiring Medvedev again to seal his standout win.

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Daniil Medvedev blames Hurkacz loss on 'garbage balls' as Djokovic remains world No 1

DANIIL MEDVEDEV missed out on the chance to return to top spot in the world rankings with defeat at the Miami Open on Thursday.

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ATP Legacy: Where Nadal & Federer's Legendary Rivalry Began

The rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal is renowned in tennis circles and throughout the wider sports world. What some might not know is that the first two clashes between the two superstars came at the same tournament — the Miami Open presented by Itau.

Federer entered the pair’s third-round meeting in 2004 as the No. 1 player in the ATP Rankings, fresh off a title run at Indian Wells. Nadal was a 17-year-old on the rise, but still World No. 34 and known for his clay-court prowess.

What followed was a stunning display by the Spaniard, who clinched their first battle 6-3, 6-3, on hard courts no less.

“I’m very happy because I played one of the best matches in my life,” Nadal said at the time. “Obviously, he didn't play his best tennis and that's the reason why I could win. I mean, if he had played his best tennis, I would have had no chance. But that's what happens in tennis. If a player like me plays at a very, very good level and a top player like Roger doesn't play his best tennis, I can win."

One year on, the pair met in the Miami final. Nadal once again appeared ready to stun the Swiss. However, Federer rallied from two sets down to deny the teen 2-6, 6-7(4), 7-6(5), 6-3, 6-1.

“It’s one thing to come back from two sets to love and then start the fifth and then in the end lose. So I'm really happy that I came back, because… I've hardly ever done it in my career,” Federer said. “This is a big moment in my career. Especially in the finals against a player of this calibre, to really come back, this is not the normal thing I'm doing usually.”

Federer and Nadal have played 38 times since then, with the Spaniard leading their ATP Head2Head series 24-16.

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Third Time's The Charm For Ruud Against Zverev

The third time was the charm for Casper Ruud on Wednesday evening at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

On his third attempt, the Norwegian earned his first win against second seed Alexander Zverev 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 to advance to a semi-final showdown against Argentine Francisco Cerundolo. The winner will make his first ATP Masters 1000 final.

"It was great to get that break early on [in the third set] and I was able to keep it all the way out," Ruud said in his post-match interview. "I was serving well. I can thank my serving for the win today."

Ruud lost his first three Masters 1000 quarter-finals on this surface — including two against Zverev last year — without winning a set. But he clawed past the gritty German for his fifth Top 10 victory (5-15).

Now the 23-year-old will have a big opportunity against World No. 103 Cerundolo, who had never previously competed in a Masters 1000 main draw or won a tour-level match on hard court. This will be the pair’s first ATP Head2Head clash.

For a moment, it seemed Ruud would cruise into that matchup. Zverev was slightly low on energy throughout the first set and was unable to do much with Ruud’s heavy topspin groundstrokes.

But at 0-0 in the second set, Zverev saved two break points, the second of which came on a bold second-serve ace down the T. That boosted the two-time Nitto ATP Finals champion’s confidence, and Zverev significantly raised his level and began firing from the baseline. On the other side of the net, Ruud lost control of his solid game and struggled to regain control of the match.

When the Norwegian received treatment on his right foot, which he later said was because of blisters on a toe, the momentum was firmly in Zverev's corner. Ruud never panicked, though. On break point at 1-0 in the decider he returned a massive 113mph second serve down the T and seized the opportunity with his forehand to play aggressively, breaking Zverev’s serve for a 2-0 lead.

The seven-time ATP Tour titlist recaptured his game from there and despite slight signs of nerves serving at 4-2, he remained calm. Ruud hit his sixth ace before showing the crowd a wide smile after earning his best victory by ATP Ranking against the World No. 4.

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Day 9 Preview & Schedule: Medvedev vs. Hurkacz; Alcaraz vs. Kecmanovic

The last two semi-final spots are up for grabs at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Thursday. Daniil Medvedev takes on defending champion Hubert Hurkacz knowing a win in their quarter-final is enough to take him back to World No. 1, while #NextGenATP sensation Carlos Alcaraz continues his bid to become the youngest man to lift the trophy in Miami when he faces Miomir Kecmanovic.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

[1] Daniil Medvedev vs. [8] Hubert Hurkacz (POL)

Daniil Medvedev shoots for a maiden semi-final in Miami on Thursday with the small matter of a return to World No. 1 also at stake when he steps onto Hard Rock Stadium to face defending champion Hubert Hurkacz.

Medvedev’s third-round defeat to Gael Monfils at Indian Wells saw him slip from top spot below Novak Djokovic in the ATP Rankings. The top seed has looked back to his best in Miami so far, however, dismissing two-time champion Andy Murray, Pedro Martinez and Jenson Brooksby in straight sets to reach the last eight.

“At this moment, I don't feel any pressure,” said Medvedev when asked about the No. 1 spot after his fourth-round win over Brooksby. “It's great that I have this chance. Only one match left.

"Of course, maybe during the match, pressure can start to build up, depending how the match is going. I mean, if you have 5-0, 40/0, maybe less pressure. If it's 6/5 in the tiebreak in the third set, there is a little bit more. But at this moment it's just a lot of extra motivation to try to make this one more step.”

Hurkacz is the player hoping to take advantage if the situation does affect Medvedev, but the Pole hardly needs extra motivation of his own. The World No. 10 is defending his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title, clinched in a three-set thriller against Jannik Sinner last year, as he hunts a first trophy of 2022.

The eighth seed has already dealt with plenty of power during his opening three matches in Miami, seeing off big-servers Arthur Rinderknech and Lloyd Harris either side of a three-set battle with the free-hitting Aslan Karatsev. Hurkacz now faces a combination of those attributes in Medvedev, whose big first delivery and fierce groundstrokes from deep will put the World No. 10's title defence to the ultimate test.

The pair has met three times before, all in the 2021 season. Hurkacz claimed victory on the grass at Wimbledon, but Medvedev triumphed on the hard courts at the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers in Toronto and the Nitto ATP Finals. With all those matches going to deciding sets, this latest collision between two of the biggest baseline hitters on Tour should prove an intriguing spectacle in Miami.

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[14] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. Miomir Kecmanovic (SRB)

Where to start with Carlos Alcaraz in 2022? The 18-year-old continues to exceed all expectations for a player so new to the Tour, and on Thursday he goes into a first meeting with Miomir Kecmanovic looking to reach a second Masters 1000 semi-final in the space of two weeks.

Alcaraz lost in the first round on debut in Miami in 2021, but this year’s run can hardly be considered a surprise given his recent form. The Spaniard picked up a maiden ATP 500 title in Rio de Janeiro in February, was only stopped by Rafael Nadal in the final four at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, and his 7-5, 6-3 fourth-round win over Stefanos Tsitsipas in south Florida on Tuesday night took him to 15-2 for the season.

The 14th seed may have arrived in Miami with only minimal experience of playing matches in the hot and humid conditions on the US east coast, but Alcaraz has had no issues settling in at Hard Rock Stadium and is thriving in the atmosphere at the Masters 1000 event.

“It was tough, but yeah, fun playing in front of this crazy crowd,” said the reigning Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion after his win over Tsitsipas on Grandstand. “It was pretty amazing. [I gave] a lot of energy to come back in the first set. To be able to beat Tsitsipas in front of these fans was incredible, [it] was fun.”

On Thursday he meets an opponent also enjoying a dream 2022 Sunshine Double. Kecmanovic reached the quarter-finals in Indian Wells for the second time two weeks ago and in Miami has taken out a trio of impressive young North American stars in Felix Auger-Aliassime, Sebastian Korda, and Taylor Fritz. The World No. 48 is now into his fourth quarter-final in as many tournaments.

Kecmanovic had never been past the second round in south Florida prior to this year, but now stands just a win away from a maiden Masters 1000 semi-final after avenging his Indian Wells quarter-final loss to Fritz by ousting the American in three sets in the fourth round on Tuesday. The Serb can turn to his coach, David Nalbandian, for advice on how to take the next step – the Argentine former World No. 3 reached the semi-finals in Miami in 2006 – but once he takes to the court on Thursday it will be down to him to find a way to halt the Alcaraz charge.

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Hurkacz/Isner Take Out Ram/Salisbury In Miami

Hubert Hurkacz and John Isner came through a nerve-wracking finish to upset second seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury and clinch the remaining semi-final spot at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Wednesday.

The Polish-American pairing required an Isner ace to convert their fourth match point and complete a 7-6(7), 6-3 victory at Hard Rock Stadium as they continued to impress in their first tournament playing together.

Hurkacz and Isner recovered the only break points of the first set from 30/40 in the sixth game and were able to hit back from a tricky position again in the tie-break. They saved two set points, one of them with a huge Hurkacz ace, before converting the first one of their own after Ram pushed a difficult volley wide.

Two breaks in the second set was enough to clinch the match for the wild card pairing, although they had to hold their nerve in a dramatic final game as Ram and Salisbury recovered from 40/0 on the Isner serve to force a sudden death deciding point. The American duly delivered an ace to extinguish the second-seeded pairing’s mini-revival and set a semi-final clash with Australian Open champions Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios.

Hurkacz and Isner produced clutch serving under pressure throughout the one-and-a-half-hour encounter, firing nine aces, saving five out of six break points they faced, and winning 78% (38/49) of points behind their first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

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Although seeking their first title together, Isner and Hurkacz have both won ATP Masters 1000 titles before. Isner has triumphed twice in Indian Wells as well as in Rome and Shanghai, while Hurkacz lifted the trophy in Paris in 2020.

Defeat for Ram and Salisbury leaves them still hunting a second Masters 1000 title. They lifted the trophy in Toronto last year and followed that with a second Grand Slam title at the US Open, triumphs which have contributed to Salisbury’s rise to World No. 1 that will be confirmed in next week’s edition of the ATP Rankings.

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Jannik Sinner retires Miami Open match a day after overcoming Nick Kyrgios outburst

JANNIK SINNER defeated Nick Kyrgios to make the quarter-finals of the Miami Open.

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Cerundolo Moves Into Miami SFs After Sinner Retires

Francisco Cerundolo advanced into the semi-finals at the Miami Open presented by Itau Wednesday after Italian Jannik Sinner was forced to retire due to foot blisters. The Argentine was leading 4-1 in the first set when Sinner called the match after 23 minutes.

The World No. 103 held a 0-2 tour-level record on hard courts prior to this week, but is now into the last four on his ATP Masters 1000 debut. The 23-year-old earned standout victories over Tallon Griekspoor, Reilly Opelka (second-set retirement), Gael Monfils and Frances Tiafoe en route to his match with Sinner.

“I didn’t know anything,” Cerundolo said in his on-court interview. “When I was serving at 3-1, 30/0, I saw him bending down. It was really strange. I didn’t see anything wrong and I hope he is ok, he is a great player. It means a lot [to advance]. It is everything I have dreamed of.”

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Cerundolo will aim to continue his fairytale run when he faces second-seeded German Alexander Zverev or Norway’s Casper Ruud in the semi-finals in Florida.

The Argentine overcame Tiafoe in a tough three-set battle in his previous match, hammering forehands and demonstrating great agility as he showcased his hard-court prowess to outlast the American.

Cerundolo, who reached his maiden tour-level the final in Buenos Aires last year, has enjoyed a strong 2022 campaign, winning an ATP Challenger Tour title on clay before soaring into the semi-finals in Rio de Janeiro.

#NextGenATP star Sinner turned heads when he became the second-youngest finalist in Miami’s 36-year tournament history aged 19 last season.

This week he triumphed over Emil Ruusuvuori, Pablo Carreno Busta and Nick Kyrgios to reach his third tour-level quarter-final of the year. The 20-year-old also advanced to the last eight at the Australian Open and Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

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Naomi Osaka explains why she feels 'really emotional' facing stars her age

NAOMI OSAKA has made it through to the semi-finals of the Miami Open.

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Novak Djokovic's brother 'personally invites' Nick Kyrgios to Serbia in thankful gesture

NICK KYRGIOS was one of the few players who defended Novak Djokovic during his visa saga in Australia.

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Ukrainian tennis pro gives heartbreaking update as she admits to having 'nowhere to go'

LESIA TSURENKO is unable to return to her home of Kyiv after the Miami Open.

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Nick Kyrgios called out after defending Emma Raducanu against 'old retired players'

DANIELA HANTUCHOVA responded to Nick Kyrgios after he slammed the retired pro for her comments about Emma Raducanu.

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Berrettini Announces 'Minor Operation' On Right Hand

Matteo Berrettini announced on Instagram Tuesday that he underwent a “minor operation” on his right hand following his withdrawal from the Miami Open presented by Itau.

“My team and I have been speaking to medical experts since my withdrawal from Miami with a right hand injury,” Berrettini wrote. “Following multiple scans and assessments we decided a minor operation was the best solution to ensure a full and quick recovery.

“Earlier today I had the operation and I’m happy to report it went extremely well. My doctor and team are already discussing plans for me to get back on court. I will provide an update as soon as this plan is finalised. Thanks very much as always for all the support.” 

 

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The Italian last competed at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, where he lost in the fourth round against Miomir Kecmanovic. The two-time Nitto ATP Finals competitor is 9-6 on the season, including a run to the Australian Open semi-finals.

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Medvedev Passes Brooksby Test

Daniil Medvedev moved to within one victory of reclaiming the No. 1 spot in the ATP Rankings Tuesday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, overcoming Jenson Brooksby 7-5, 6-1.

The 26-year-old, who is making his fourth appearance in Florida, rallied from 3-5 in the first set as he soaked up Brooksby’s variety of shots in a controlled performance to advance into the quarter-finals after 80 minutes.

“Jenson has the potential to be a top player,” Medvedev said in his on-court interview. “He is really good and plays better than his ranking. I knew it was not going to be an easy match. I had no solutions at the beginning. The crucial moment was when I managed to make him serve for the set and he got a little bit tight and I played a bit better.”

Medvedev will next face reigning Miami champion Hubert Hurkacz or South African Lloyd Harris, knowing a win would move him back to World No. 1 on Monday, two weeks after he lost top spot to Novak Djokovic.

The Balance of Power analysis from Tennis Data Innovation shows the dramatic turnaround in how the match was played between sets. Brooksby had a slight edge in BOP in the first set when he made an explosive start, but Medvedev had a massive nine percentage points advantage in playing from attacking positions when he dominated the second set. (Learn more about Balance of Power)

Set One Balance of Power

Set Two Balance of Power

The top seed is bidding to win his first trophy of the season this week, having reached the final at the Australian Open and the last four at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC in Acapulco.

Medvedev, who spent three weeks as the World No. 1 from 28 February to 21 March this year, is a four-time ATP Masters 1000 champion. With his victory over American Brooksby, the World No. 2 equalled his best result in Miami, after also advancing to the last eight in 2021.

Medvedev started slowly against Brooksby on Hard Rock Stadium as he struggled to cope with the World No. 39’s intensity and shot variation. However, Medvedev is not a 13-time tour-level titlist for nothing, and he found his range when it mattered most, breaking back to level at 5-5.

From there he put his foot on the pedal, hitting with great accuracy, depth and precision to force Brooksby into errors. Medvedev limited the unforced error count in the second set and rolled off 10 of the final 11 games, firing the ball through the court with great power to advance in their first ATP Head2Head meeting.

“Sometimes I am not that intense on court, so today I tried to pump myself up,” Medvedev added. “I had to try and close it out as fast as possible. I had to fight for every point.”

Brooksby defeated Federico Coria, Nikoloz Basilashvili and Roberto Bautista Agut to reach the fourth round. The 21-year-old was aiming to reach the quarter-finals at a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time.

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Nick Kyrgios confronted by court invader after smashing racket in anger at Miami Open

NICK KYRGIOS received a game penalty as he continued to rant towards umpire Carlos Bernardes.

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Sinner Shines Against Kyrgios In Miami

Jannik Sinner saved eight match points across his first two matches at the Miami Open presented by Itau, but on Tuesday he did not need to toe the limit so closely. The ninth seed played his best tennis against the red-hot Nick Kyrgios, defeating the Australian 7-6(3), 6-3 to reach the quarter-finals at Hard Rock Stadium.

The 20-year-old made his first ATP Masters 1000 final one year ago in Miami on his tournament debut, and he is now 8-1 at the event. Sinner will next play 28th seed Frances Tiafoe or Argentine Francisco Cerundolo.

In the pair’s first ATP Head2Head clash, Kyrgios, who lost a combined nine games against seeded opponents Andrey Rublev and Fabio Fognini, seemed keen on making another quick start. Sinner was forced to save a break point in two of his first three service games, but he held on in those moments, and neither man lost serve in the opening set.

It all came apart for Kyrgios in the ensuing tie-break. Sinner gave him no free points early on, and the Australian then received a point penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct following chatter about the chair umpire. Kyrgios was unable to overcome that, eventually hitting a frustrated double fault to lose the set.

The wild card then smashed his racquet against his bag and the court, which led to him receiving a game penalty. That cost the Aussie dearly, as he was set to serve to start the second set. It essentially gave Sinner a break advantage to begin the second set, which the five-time ATP Tour titlist took full advantage of.

Kyrgios had some high moments, hitting a flurry of volleys on one point, finishing the sequence with a stunning drop volley. In the final game of the match, he also hit an impressive forehand volley on the full stretch against an approaching Sinner.

But Sinner was the more consistent of the two players, especially from his ground. His easy power prevented Kyrgios from controlling the action and put pressure on him to make poor shot selection.

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Zverev Ends Kokkinakis' Run, Reaches Miami QFs

Alexander Zverev continued the quest for his first title of the season Tuesday, overcoming Australian qualifier Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The World No. 4 captured six tour-level titles in a standout 2021 campaign but has yet to strike gold this year, with his best result coming in Montpellier where he reached the final.

Zverev is playing with confidence in Florida this week, however, having moved past Borna Coric and Mackenzie McDonald in his opening two matches. The 24-year-old dictated the forehand exchanges against Kokkinakis and played with greater consistency from the baseline to advance after one hour and 32 minutes.

“I wanted to shorten the points as it was quite hot,” Zverev said in his on-court interview. “Thanasi is a very aggressive player so I tried to take that away from him. I was returning the second serve quite well. I kept putting pressure on him and kept being aggressive and it worked out well.”

[FOLLOW ACTION]

With his victory on Hard Rock Stadium, Zverev now leads the 25-year-old 1-0 in their ATP Head2Head series. The second seed will next face Casper Ruud after the Norwegian swept aside 10th seed Cameron Norrie 6-3, 6-4.

“Casper is a great player and playing incredibly well right now, so I am ready for a tough battle,” Zverev added.

Zverev is making his seventh appearance in Miami, with his best result reaching the championship match in 2018, when the event was held at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne.

Zverev played with great intensity at the start of the first set as he demonstrated impressive footwork to move inside the baseline and control points on his forehand. Kokkinakis struggled to impose his dynamic game on the German, who gained the crucial break in the fifth game in the first set before soaring through his service games to move ahead.

The German continued to control proceedings in the second set as he frequently finished points at the net after pulling the Australian from side to side. Zverev broke Kokkinakis to move into a 3-2 lead and from there he put his foot on the accelerator to advance.

Kokkinakis was aiming to reach the quarter-finals at an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time. The World No. 97 has enjoyed a strong start to the season, capturing his maiden tour-level title in Adelaide before he lifted the Australian Open men’s doubles trophy with Nick Kyrgios.

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How To Watch Thiem & Wawrinka Make Their Returns At Marbella Challenger

Dominic Thiem and Stan Wawrinka will make their highly anticipated returns in Marbella on Tuesday at the AnyTech365 Andalucia Open, an ATP Challenger Tour event.

Wawrinka will be the first star who returns, as he faces Swede Elias Ymer in the second match on Estadio Manolo Santana. 

The Swiss, who celebrated his 37th birthday on Monday, underwent two foot surgeries last year. The former World No. 3 has not competed since Doha just more than one year ago.

Watch Live Stream: Wawrinka vs. Ymer (Second on, Play Starts At 10 a.m. local)

Thiem will make his comeback against Pedro Cachin of Argentina, in the match following Wawrinka's against Ymer (NB 1:30 p.m. local).

The Austrian suffered a right wrist injury while competing in Mallorca last June. Unlike Wawrinka, Thiem's injury did not require surgery.

Watch Live Stream: Thiem vs. Cachin (Third On, NB 1:30 p.m. local)

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Bolelli/Fognini Save MP, Complete Comeback To Reach Miami QFs

Down a set and a break on Monday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini got back and serve and then saved a match point on a sudden-death break point at 4-5 in the second against Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo.

But the Italian duo would have to battle back from behind twice more in a 2-6, 7-6(4), 10-8 victory. 

Trailing by an early mini-break in the second set tie-break, they won five points in a row to seal the set from 2-4. The faced an even bigger deficit in the Match Tie-break, trailing 1-5 and 4-8 before taking the last six points of the match.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

In the day's only other completed doubles match, Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos used a pair of early breaks to spark a 6-3, 6-4 win over Nikola Cacic and Tomislav Brkic. The Spanish/Argentine pairing did not face a break point in the contest and won 89 per cent (32/36) of its first-serve points.

They will next challenge Thanasi Kokkinakis and Nick Kyrgios, who are both also through to the Miami singles fourth round. The reigning Australian Open champions completed the doubles quarter-finals courtesy of a walkover against Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev.

[NEWSLETTER]

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Novak Djokovic's rumoured new coach brutally takes down Roger Federer ahead of return

PATRICK MOURATOGLU will reportedly succeed Marian Vajda as Novak Djokovic's coach in the near future.

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Relentless Alcaraz Pushes Past Cilic

Carlos Alcaraz’s rapid rise continued with pace on Monday at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The #NextGenATP Spaniard dispatched World No. 23 Marin Cilic 6-4, 6-4 in an intense and heavy-hitting display to reach the fourth round in Florida for the first time.

“I started the match well. It was important to get confidence at the beginning of the match,” Alcaraz said in his on-court interview. “[Starting well] was the key in the first set and it was important to be up in the match.”

Alcaraz was No. 132 in the ATP Rankings when he lost on debut against Finn Emil Ruusuvuori in the first round at the ATP Masters 1000 event last season. Now the 18-year-old is at a career-high No. 16 and is competing in Miami with genuine title aspirations following his impressive start to the year.

The 14th seed, who eliminated Marton Fucsovics in his opening match in Miami, has frequently made history in 2022 with his dynamic performances.

Alcaraz became the youngest ATP 500 champion when he triumphed in Rio de Janeiro, before he advanced to the semi-finals in Indian Wells. His impressive run in the California desert meant he became the second-youngest semi-finalist in tournament history behind only Andre Agassi, who was 17 when he achieved the feat in 1988.

Pumped up and zoned in from the start, Alcaraz looked comfortable against Cilic on Grandstand as he levelled their ATP Head2Head series at 1-1, gaining revenge from his defeat in Estoril last season.

“I think the crowd liked the way I played, with drop shots and playing hard,” Alcaraz said. “They love that style and I think here in Miami a lot of people speak Spanish.”

The Spaniard showcased great agility and pace to track down forehand bullets from Cilic, while he used his own power and depth to pin the 33-year-old deep behind the baseline. Alcaraz saved the one break point he faced and hit 16 winners, eventually advancing after one hour and 35 minutes.

The 2021 Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals champion will next play third seed Stefanos Tsitsipas or Australian Alex de Minaur. Alcaraz holds a 1-0 ATP Head2Head series lead over World No. 5 Tsitsipas, having upset the Greek at the US Open in 2021.

Cilic was making his 13th appearance in Miami, with his best result coming in 2013 when he reached the quarter-finals.

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Novak Djokovic served warning as star dubbed 'mini-Rafael Nadal' tipped to stun him

NOVAK DJOKOVIC has been given a strong warning if he comes up against Spanish teenager Carlos Alcaraz.

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Hurkacz Continues Title Defence With Karatsev Win

Hubert Hurkacz continued his love affair with the Miami Open presented by Itau Monday, edging Aslan Karatsev 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 on Grandstand to reach the fourth round.

The Pole broke new ground in Miami last season when he captured his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title. Hurkacz, who has since climbed from No. 37 in the ATP Rankings to current No. 10, produced a strong serving performance against Karatsev as he fired 24 aces to clinch his eighth consecutive win in Florida.

Following his two-hour, 24-minute triumph, Hurkacz now leads the 29-year-old 2-1 in their ATP Head2Head series. The eighth seed will next face Lloyd Harris or Yoshihito Nishioka in the round of 16.

Hurkacz is aiming to win his fifth tour-level crown this week but first of the year. His best result in 2022 came at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, where he advanced to the semi-finals.

The 25-year-old is the only previous Miami titlist left in the draw after American John Isner and former World No. 1 Andy Murray both fell at the second-round stage.

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Brooksby Roars Past Bautista Agut, Sets Medvedev Showdown In Miami

Never count out Jenson Brooksby. The 21-year-old proved why on Monday when he rallied from 0-4 down in the deciding set to stun 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 and reach the fourth round of the Miami Open presented by Itau.

"I'm happy to get through that one. I thought my competing today was a lot better. Still a little streaky, but usually it would be easy to mentally fold in that situation, I think," Brooksby said. "But I stayed really mentally strong, I competed until the end and it went my way."

Brooksby, who dispatched 18th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili with the loss of only four games in the second round, has quickly established himself as a difficult out for the world's best players. That will be put to the ultimate test in the next round when he challenges top seed Daniil Medvedev.

The home favourite began the season with one ATP Masters 1000 win, but he is now 7-3 at this level, having also advanced to the Round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. During this March Masters swing, Brooksby has earned three wins against current or former Top 10 players.

It was a gruelling match against Bautista Agut, who is one of the best baseliners on Tour. Early on, Brooksby showed impressive shotmaking. But his Spanish opponent used his consistency to hang around and quickly earned two breaks in the third set to seize full control.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

But instead of capitulating, two-time ATP Tour finalist Brooksby locked down from the back of the court and clawed his way to six consecutive games and with them, the victory after two hours and 59 minutes

"Unfortunately I had lower energy to start the third and I put myself in a lot of trouble there because of that," Brooksby said. "But I was glad to mentally turn that around."

Brooksby has experience against the very best. At last year's US Open, he won the first set against Novak Djokovic before losing in four sets.

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Miami Day 6 Preview & Schedule: Medvedev, Tsitsipas & Alcaraz In Action

The third round reaches its conclusion at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Monday, as #NextGenATP Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz takes on 2014 US Open champion Marin Cilic. Stefanos Tsitsipas aims to maintain his unbeaten record against Alex de Minaur, while Daniil Medvedev takes on Pedro Martinez seeking to move a step closer to both a first Miami title and a return to World No. 1.

[14] Carlos Alcaraz (ESP) vs. [21] Marin Cilic (CRO)

Carlos Alcaraz completed another first in his young career by beating Marton Fucsovics in the second round to notch his maiden match win in Miami, but the 18-year-old will hope that is just the beginning of another fairytale run as he prepares to do battle with 21st seed Marin Cilic in the third round.

Alcaraz has started 2022 in red-hot form. He picked up his maiden ATP 500 title on the Rio clay in February and surged to the semi-finals in Indian Wells without dropping a set before being edged out by Rafael Nadal.

Confidence is high for the Spaniard, but Cilic is an experienced campaigner who possesses enough weapons to hurt any opponent on Tour. The former World No. 3 also knows what it takes to go all the way at ATP Masters 1000 level, having triumphed at the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati in 2016.

The Croatian came out on top in his only previous meeting with Alcaraz in Estoril last year and is seeking to reach the fourth round in Miami for the fifth time. Whether his experience will be enough to derail the youthful Alcaraz once again remains to be seen.

View Schedule | View Singles Draw | View Doubles Draw

[3] Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE) vs. [25] Alex de Minaur (AUS)

Whoever comes out on top in the Alcaraz-Cilic clash will face a fourth-round meeting with Stefanos Tsitsipas or Alex de Minaur. Tsitsipas had no time to ease himself in at Hard Rock Stadium this week as he was immediately plunged into a three-set battle with American qualifier J.J. Wolf in his opening match, but the third seed survived as he hunts his first title of 2022 in south Florida.

The history books heavily favour the Greek in his third-round clash with de Minaur. Tsitsipas holds a 7-0 ATP Head2Head series lead over the 25th seed, but will take nothing for granted against a player renowned for leaving everything out on court.

"He's a fighter," said Tsitsipas of de Minaur after his victory over Wolf on Saturday. "I really hope to bring out the same kind of level that I brought in the third set and maintain that throughout the match."

De Minaur enjoyed a comfortable straight-sets win over fellow Aussie Jordan Thompson in the second round, his maiden main-draw win in Miami. Tsitsipas’ 2021 run to the quarter-finals is his best effort so far as the third seed seeks a second Masters 1000 title.

[1] Daniil Medvedev vs. Pedro Martinez (ESP)

Three opponents stand between Daniil Medvedev and a return to the top of the ATP Rankings. The 2021 US Open champion knows reaching the semi-finals in Miami will be enough to get back to No. 1 after two weeks away, and his third-round assignment is a matchup with Spaniard Pedro Martinez.

Despite the prospect of returning to top spot looming large, Medvedev certainly looked focused in his second-round victory over Andy Murray. The top seed was relieved to get through a tough opening draw and admitted it had got his competitive juices flowing after plenty of time on the practice court since his third-round exit at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.

“It’s never easy, first-round matches, even if you practise on the same courts for one or two months, it’s never going to be the same as a competitive tournament match," he said after the win over Murray. “I’m happy that I managed to have zero break points against me. I feel like I have some room for improvement, but it was a great match against an amazing player.”

His opponent Martinez propelled himself into the Top 50 for the fast time with his maiden ATP Tour title in Santiago in February. He beat 27th seed Cristian Garin on Saturday to reach the third round of a hard-court Masters 1000 event for the first time, but the pair’s only previous meeting at the 2020 Australian Open ended in a straight-sets victory for Medvedev.

Defending Champ Hurkacz In Action, Fritz Leads American Charge

Hubert Hurkacz showed no sign of nerves on his return to Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday, a year after clinching the biggest title of his career at the 2021 tournament in Miami.

The Pole took out big-serving Arthur Rinderknech in straight sets in his second-round match and now faces another player with plenty of weapons in 29th seed Aslan Karatsev. The pair is tied with a 1-1 ATP Head2Head series record, and Hurkacz’s title defence could come under serious threat if three-time ATP Tour titlist Karatsev can find his best level.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

A host of talented young Americans are also in third-round action on Monday, headlined by the clash between Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul.

Fritz produced a solid opening match against Mikhail Kukushkin and is looking forward to taking on World No. 37 Paul despite the pair enjoying a close friendship off-court. "It's never easy playing one of your best friends,” said Fritz after his second-round win. “But in the past, I have done well when playing my friends. It's going to be a really tough match because he's playing well.”

Fritz and Paul’s ATP Head2Head series is tied at 1-1, with both previous tour-level meetings taking place in 2021.

After surging to the quarter-finals on Miami debut in 2021 and breezing through this year’s opening match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, Sebastian Korda had to put in the hard yards to overcome Albert-Ramos-Vinolas in three sets in the second-round. The #NextGenATP star takes on Miomir Kecmanovic, the two-time Indian Wells quarter-finalist now chasing a first fourth-round appearance in Miami, in the pair’s first tour-level meeting.

Jenson Brooksby rounds out the Americans in action on day six as he faces 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut for the first time, while South Africa’s Lloyd Harris will look to back up his second-round upset of 12th seed Denis Shapovalov when he takes on Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka.

ORDER OF PLAY - MONDAY, MARCH 28, 2022

STADIUM start 12:00 noon
ATP - [1] D. Medvedev vs P. Martinez (ESP)

Not Before 1:00 PM
WTA - A. Riske (USA) vs N. Osaka (JPN)
WTA - [14] C. Gauff (USA) vs M. Brengle (USA) or I. Swiatek (POL)

Not Before 7:00 pm
ATP - [3] S. Tsitsipas (GRE) vs [25] A. de Minaur (AUS)

Not Before 9:00 PM
WTA - [5] P. Badosa (ESP) vs [WC] L. Fruhvirtova (CZE)

GRANDSTAND start 11:00 am
WTA - [9] D. Collins (USA) vs [8] O. Jabeur (TUN)
ATP - [29] A. Karatsev vs [8] H. Hurkacz (POL)
ATP - [21] M. Cilic (CRO) vs [14] C. Alcaraz (ESP)
ATP - [11] T. Fritz (USA) vs T. Paul (USA)

Not Before 7:00 PM
WTA - L. Davis (USA) or P. Kvitova (CZE) vs [21] V. Kudermetova

BUTCH BUCHHOLZ start 11:00 am
WTA - [WC] D. Saville (AUS) vs [LL] L. Bronzetti (ITA)
ATP - L. Harris (RSA) vs [Q] Y. Nishioka (JPN)
WTA - A. Sasnovich vs [22] B. Bencic (SUI)
ATP - S. Korda (USA) vs M. Kecmanovic (SRB)
WTA - [16] J. Pegula (USA) vs A. Kalinina (UKR)

COURT 1 start 11:00 am
ATP - J. Brooksby (USA) vs [15] R. Bautista Agut (ESP)
ATP - S. Bolelli (ITA) / F. Fognini (ITA) vs I. Dodig (CRO) / M. Melo (BRA)

Not Before 3:00 pm
ATP - T. Brkic (BIH) / N. Cacic (SRB) or [Alt] M. Cilic (CRO) / L. Kubot (POL) vs [3] M. Granollers (ESP) / H. Zeballos (ARG)

COURT 7 start 11:00 am
WTA - [7] D. Krawczyk (USA) / D. Schuurs (NED) vs [DA SR] K. Flipkens (BEL) / S. Mirza (IND)
WTA - [6] G. Dabrowski (CAN) / G. Olmos (MEX) vs [DA SR] L. Siegemund (GER) / V. Zvonareva
WTA - A. Rosolska (POL) / E. Routliffe (NZL) vs A. Muhammad (USA) / E. Shibahara (JPN)

After Suitable Rest
WTA - [4] C. Gauff (USA) / C. McNally (USA) vs A. Guarachi (CHI) / Y. Xu (CHN)

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Victoria Azarenka storms off court and quits match while losing to 16-year-old opponent

VICTORIA AZARENKA walked off court after 45 minutes against Linda Fruhvirtova.

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Rapid Ruud Brushes Past Bublik

Having finally secured a maiden Miami Open presented by Itau triumph in his opening match this week, Casper Ruud returned to the court eager for more against Alexander Bublik on Sunday.

After coming through a tough three-set second-round win over Henri Laaksonen, Ruud showed no intention of hanging around under the Florida sun against Bublik as he raced to a 58-minute 6-3, 6-2 victory, improving his record for the 2022 season to 10-3.

Ruud has performed well at ATP Masters 1000 level before, but his greatest successes have come on clay. He reached the semi-finals in Rome in 2020, and Monte Carlo and Madrid in 2021, but his performance against Bublik was further evidence that his hard-court game is more than capable of taking him deep in Miami.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

After a late break clinched the opening set for the Norwegian, the second was a more straightforward affair. He raced into a 4-0 lead and never looked back, securing the win with his second match point to extend his ATP Head2Head series lead over Bublik to 4-1.

Bublik reached the quarter-finals in Miami last year and the Montpellier champion will be disappointed with this loss. As ever with the Kazakh, there was still fun to be had as he used his racquet handle to return a Ruud lob before finishing off the point late in the second set.

Ruud’s win was a story of dominant serving, The Norwegian denied Bublik a single break point in the match and the Infosys ATP Stats show Ruud won 85 per cent (28/33) of points behind his first serve. This gave the sixth seed the freedom to play loose and apply pressure on the Kazakh’s delivery, as he broke three times on his way to fourth round.

His opponent there will be the in-form Cameron Norrie, who defeated Hugo Gaston 6-3, 7-5 to also reach the fourth round in Miami for the first time. Ruud has won both the pair’s previous meetings, the most recent a three-set win at November’s Nitto ATP Finals.

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Nick Kyrgios admits Fabio Fognini hype 'wasn't easy' as he sets sights on Miami Open title

NICK KYRGIOS defeated Fabio Fognini to reach the last-16 in Miami.

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'Quite A Sight to See', Kyrgios Beats Fognini In Miami

A pumped-up Nick Kyrgios continued his impressive start to the season on Sunday, overcoming Fabio Fognini 6-2, 6-4 to reach the fourth round at the Miami Open presented by Itau for a fifth consecutive time.

In a battle between two of the best shotmakers on Tour, it was the Australian who came out on top on Hard Rock Stadium in an absorbing clash. The wild card pulled Fognini from corner to corner, combining power with deft touch to advance after 61 minutes.

“I wanted to keep the momentum going,” Kyrgios said in his on-court interview. "As soon as I had break points I wanted to take them. I served well and I am happy to be through. I am just returning well. My doubles has helped me a lot on my singles court. The way I am serving and returning is quite a sight to see.”

With his victory, Kyrgios has improved to 7-2 on the season, having arrived in Miami on the back of a run to the quarter-finals at the BNP Paribas Open. The wild card has also moved to 2-0 in his ATP Head2Head series with the Italian after also winning their previous meeting at the third-round stage in Miami in 2018.

[FOLLOW ACTION]

Kyrgios has fond memories in Florida after he reached the semi-finals at the ATP Masters 1000 event in 2016 and 2017. The World No. 102 is aiming to capture his first tour-level title since he triumphed in Washington in 2019.

The 26-year-old, who emphatically eliminated World No. 7 Andrey Rublev in straight sets earlier this week, will next play #NextGenATP Italian Jannik Sinner or 17th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.

In an engaging contest, Kyrgios looked in control throughout as Fognini struggled to deal with his power and precision. After flying out of the blocks by breaking in the first game, Kyrgios dictated on serve, not facing a break point to move ahead. According to Infosys ATP Stats, Kyrgios fired 24 winners and lost just eight points on serve as he sealed victory after breaking in the ninth game of the second set.

Fognini , who was making his 10th appearance in Miami, was bidding to reach the fourth round at the hard-court tournament for just the third time, with his best result a run to the semi-finals in 2017.

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Nick Kyrgios gives insight on coaching himself as he admits to 'studying' rivals

NICK KYRGIOS is through to the last-16 at the Miami Open.

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Andy Murray's thoughts on Ivan Lendl training block after Daniil Medvedev loss

ANDY MURRAY crashed out of the Miami Open in straight sets on Saturday.

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Andy Murray admits to doing 'wrong things' after Medvedev loss as he plots Wimbledon run

ANDY MURRAY suffered a straight-sets loss at the hands of Daniil Medvedev in Miami.

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Balance Of Power Stat Debuts In Miami, Medvedev Is Case In Point

How many times have you heard a player say that being more aggressive underpinned his victory? Surely more times than you have heard a player say that he turned around a match by playing more defensively!

Until now, we've accepted that attacking play typically is rewarded with a victory. A new tool now allows us to prove the thesis and dig deeper to better explain the narrative.

Tennis Data Innovations, formed in 2020 to enrich fans' enjoyment and understanding of tennis through data, is launching a new metric called Balance of Power, which shows the percentage of shots played in offense, neutral and defence by both players.

The metric made its debut Saturday at the Miami Open presented by Itau across ATP Media's World Feed broadcast. And it emphatically showed that Daniil Medvedev controlled the Balance of Power in his convincing 6-4, 6-2 win over Andy Murray, with a strong six percentage point advantage (24% to 18%).

And here's a headline-grabbing stat for fans, players and coaches that the new data reveal: A player who spends more time in offense wins 68% of matches.

The BOP metric is dynamically calculated during every shot by proprietary software that analyses a range of data points including:

• Quality of the incoming ball
• Both players' court position
• Opponent's recovery position
• Players' body position when hitting the shot (e.g. are they in a strong, balanced position or are they hitting while stretched?)

On average, ATP Tour players spend 22% of their time in offense, 22% in defence and 56% in neutral positions. If a player can shift the BOP by just two percentage points in his favour (e.g. 25% versus 23% for his opponent), his chance of winning the match is 64%.

Should the BOP power differential reach eight percentage points or greater, a player's chance of winning the match increases to 72%

Balance of Power is just the first of several new data points TDI will be unveiling in coming months. Rolling out next will be a deeper dive into Balance of Power, measuring the ratio of points won from offensive and defensive positions.

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Fritz Gets Going In Miami With Kukushkin Win

After his dream run to the title in Indian Wells, the 2022 Sunshine Double is only getting better for Taylor Fritz at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The American was made to work by qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin but used his trademark big serving to good effect on his way to a 6-3, 5-7, 6-3 victory and reach the third round of the ATP Masters 1000 event at Hard Rock Stadium on Saturday.

The 11th seed will have no interest in stopping there as he seeks to become the first man to win in both Indian Wells and Miami in the same year since Roger Federer in 2017. Playing with confidence after rising to a career-high No. 13 in the ATP Rankings, Fritz combined a solid ground game with his trademark big serving to oust Kukushkin despite dropping the second set in south Florida.

The American was particularly pleased with how his body held up in its first competitive test since his exertions in California. "Physically it was really good," said Fritz after the match. "I was a little worried about my ankle. I have been definitely kind of holding back in practice the last couple of days, kind of just went once a day, took it easy.

"Honestly, today it felt great and I'm super happy with my tennis, the whole three sets. Even the set I lost I thought I played well. He was honestly too good when he was beating me. It was a really tough match. [I'm] happy to get through it."

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It was a bright display from Kukushkin, who notched his first tour-level win of 2022 in the first round against Botic van de Zandschulp, but the World No. 159 ultimately lacked the weapons to consistently hurt the powerful American on Saturday.

An early break to love was enough for Fritz to secure the opening set as the No. 1 American stayed solid on serve, but Kukushkin fought admirably and took his chance by converting his first break point of the match at 6-5 in the second set to force a decider.

Despite the setback normal service resumed on the Fritz delivery in the third set, and Kukushkin’s lack of penetration in return games continued to give the American freedom to attack. Two breaks in the decider secured the win for Fritz as he extended his ATP Head2Head series lead over the Kazakh to 3-0.

Fritz’s final serving numbers told the story of the match, the American firing seven aces and winning 85 per cent (41/48) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

He will next face compatriot Tommy Paul, who battled hard for a 6-4, 3-6, 7-6(3) victory over 23rd seed Karen Khachanov earlier on Saturday.

Paul’s straight-sets first-round victory over Benjamin Bonzi was his first main-draw win in Miami and, just like he did against Alexander Zverev in the second round in Indian Wells, the World No. 37 held his nerve against Khachanov to clinch victory via a deciding set tie-break.

Fritz and Paul’s two previous tour-level meetings both took place in 2021, with Fritz winning an October clash in St. Petersburg and Paul coming out on top in Stockholm in November. Fritz has been impressed with the way his friend's game has also developed in recent months and expects a tough battle ahead.

"I think the conditions here are good for him," said Fritz. "He's probably one of the best movers on tour. These are very slow courts, [it is] very tough to put the ball away here.

"He's going to be coming to net quite a bit and it's never easy playing one of your best friends. But in the past, I have done well when playing my friends. It's going to be a really tough match because he's playing well."

Also on Saturday, Miomir Kecmanovic continued to cause upsets at Masters 1000 level as he produced a top-class performance to brush aside World No. 9 Felix Auger-Aliassime with a 6-4, 6-2 victory and surge into the fourth round in Miami for the first time.

After equalling his career-best run at Indian Wells last week by beating Marin Cilic and Matteo Berrettini on his way to reaching the quarter-finals, Kecmanovic came out firing against Auger-Aliassime. The Serb looked settled following his straight-sets victory over former quarter-finalist Jack Sock in the first round, and he appeared to catch Auger-Aliassime cold as he extended his ATP Head2Head series lead over the Canadian to 2-0.

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Dodig/Melo Back On Track With Miami Win

Ivan Dodig and Marcelo Melo notched their first win since the Australian Open on Saturday in Miami. The Croatian/Brazilian pairing won six ATP Tour titles from 2013-16 and are now playing their sixth event as a team this season.

They opened their campaign at the Miami Open presented by Itau with a 6-4, 6-1 win over Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, saving four out of five break points in the contest. The duo dropped serve on a sudden-death point in the very first game, but held strong the rest of the way to advance to the second round.

The other four break points all came in the opening game of set two, when they escaped 0/40 to get on the board before breaking to love in the next game. That was part of a run of 10 straight points that set Dodig and Melo on course for a straightforward second set. 

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They will next face Simone Bolelli and Fabio Fognini, who upset fourth seeds John Peers and Filip Polasek, 6-2, 6-4, on Saturday.

The tournament's second and third seeds started their respective campaigns with a pair of straight-sets victories. Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury got past Lloyd Glasspool and Michael Venus, 7-5, 6-4, while Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos were 6-2, 6-2 winners over Raven Klaasen and Ben McLachlan.

The only other seeded duo in action, eighth seeds Nicolas Mahut and Fabrice Martin, were eliminated by Edouard Roger-Vasselion and Austin Krajicek, 6-3, 6-4.

At the conclusion of Saturday's play, the Round of 16 will be set in Miami.

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Daniil Medvedev backtracks on Rafael Nadal Australian Open final claim after Miami win

DANIIL MEDVEDEV previously accused the Australian Open crowd of killing his childhood dream.

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Daniil Medvedev reacts to dominant Andy Murray win at Miami Open

DANIIL MEDVEDEV defeated Andy Murray in straight sets at the Miami Open on Saturday.

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Nick Kyrgios explains how he got over Rafael Nadal loss to produce Miami Open stunner

NICK KYRGIOS needed just 51 minutes to defeat fifth seed Andrey Rublev at the Miami Open.

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Kyrgios Crushes Rublev In Miami

Nick Kyrgios might be No. 102 in the ATP Rankings, but he certainly did not play like it on Friday afternoon.

The wild card crushed in-form fifth seed Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-0 to reach the third round of the Miami Open presented by Itau. Kyrgios will next play Italian Fabio Fognini in what should be an entertaining contest between two of the best shotmakers on Tour.

"He came out hot at the start and that's tennis. A couple points could swing a momentum change like that and once I got that double break, I started seeing the return really well," Kyrgios said. "I've been returning well the past four months and I guess when that's happening, I'm serving the way I'm serving, I'm feeling the way I'm feeling, my shoulders open up and I just ran with it."

It is the third Top 10 win in a two-tournament span for the Australian, who upset Casper Ruud and Jannik Sinner en route to the BNP Paribas Open quarter-finals at Indian Wells. The six-time ATP Tour titlist is now 6-2 on the season, with his only two losses coming against Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal.

Rublev entered the match in great form, having won titles in Marseille and Dubai before advancing to the Indian Wells semi-finals. But Kyrgios never allowed him to gain any rhythm. The former World No. 13 was extremely aggressive on return, preventing the fifth seed from controlling points.

Kyrgios broke his opponent's serve five times and won 56 per cent of his return points against one of the best players in the world. The only hiccup came as he served for the match. At 40/0, Kyrgios hit an underarm tweener serve that missed, and in a flash the game ended up at deuce. But the crowd favourite gathered himself to close out the match in just 52 minutes.

"I know that he's a player who relies on a bit of rhythm, so I just tried to keep the points short and sharp, just play aggressive," Kyrgios said. "I'm just happy with my performance, whether it's 7-6 in the third or something like this, I'm just happy to get through."

Kyrgios' next opponent, Fognini, battled past Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel 6-7(1), 6-2, 7-6(5) after two hours and 51 minutes.

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Zverev Fights Past Stubborn Coric In Miami

For the first time in four years, Alexander Zverev is a winner at the Miami Open presented by Itau.

The 2018 runner-up was made to work by Borna Coric at Hard Rock Stadium on Friday, but Zverev produced an impressive deciding-set performance to secure a 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 second-round victory.

Despite his run to the championship match in 2018, Zverev has struggled since the tournament’s 2019 move to Hard Rock Stadium. The win over Coric is his first at the new venue, and the World No. 4 will hope it is the start of another deep run at the ATP Masters 1000 event.

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The second seed was also happy to bounce back from a narrow three-set defeat to Tommy Paul in the second round in Indian Wells two weeks ago. “I needed a win," said Zverev after the match. "I needed a three-set win as well. Obviously, when you’re up a set, you don’t want to go three sets, and yet I’m happy with how everything went.

"Borna, for me personally, is a very tough opponent. I’m happy with how things went and looking forward to the next match as well.”

Despite the loss, Coric also impressed and will take plenty of positives from what was just his third tour-level match back after 12 months out with a shoulder injury. On this evidence, the former World No. 12 will make his way back to the Top 20 in the ATP Rankings sooner rather than later.

The Zverev serve came out firing, helping the second seed hold to love three times as he dropped just three points behind his delivery on his way to the opening set. Coric immediately halted the World No. 4’s momentum in the second set, however, surging to a 3-0 lead and staying solid on serve to force a decider.

Zverev upped his level again for the third set, securing an early break that was enough as his serve continued to prove a potent weapon. According to Infosys ATP Stats, the German won 83 per cent (35/42) points behind his first delivery in the match, and he also fired 10 aces on his way to a victory that took just over two hours.

Zverev was pleased with his approach in the decider after the blow of losing the second set. "It was a very close game on my serve at 0-0," he said. "I was down 15/30 and I played very aggressive points and I thought, 'I lost the last few matches not going for my shots. I’m going to do that today', and it worked out well.”

The defeat means Coric is now 0-16 against Top 5 opponents after dropping the first set. It is Zverev’s second victory over the Croatian in Miami, having beaten him in straight-sets on his way to the 2018 final, and the win levels the pair’s ATP Head2Head series at 3-3.

Zverev’s third-round assignment in Miami will be the winner of 26th seed Grigor Dimitrov and World No. 54 Mackenzie McDonald.

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Cam Norrie's exciting Jack Draper verdict after Miami win as pair seek to copy Andy Murray

CAMERON NORRIE defeated Jack Draper in an all-British Miami Open second round.

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Jenson Brooksby apologises for Miami Open outburst after Kyrgios and Zverev comparisons

JENSON BROOKSBY accidentally hit a ball boy when he threw his racket in frustration during his Miami Open win on Thursday.

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Solid Norrie Fends Off Draper Threat

Cameron Norrie used all of his trademark resilience to nullify the powerful game of 20-year-old Jack Draper and triumph in a battle of British lefties at the Miami Open presented by Itau on Friday.

The 10th seed produced a typically consistent performance to secure a 7-6(5), 6-4 second-round victory, continuing the fine form that has turned his 2022 season around after starting the year with four defeats in as many matches.

Norrie took the title in Delray Beach in February and was only prevented from lifting another trophy by Rafael Nadal in Acapulco a week later, but in Miami he came up against an opponent who has also found a winning groove in 2022. Draper has won three titles on the ATP Challenger Tour since January and notched his maiden ATP Masters 1000 win against Gilles Simon in the first round in Miami, but will rue missed chances in Friday's match against an opponent who is renowned for keeping cool at crucial moments.

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Norrie settled the quicker of the two players and surged to a 5-2 lead early, but Draper kept his focus and took advantage of an uncharacteristic lapse on serve from the 10th seed to level at 5-5. Norrie also made the early running in the tie-break, however, and this time gave nothing away as he converted his third set point to edge ahead.

The second set followed a similar pattern, Draper hitting the ball powerfully throughout to keep Norrie on his toes. The World No. 10 was still able to find a way to navigate his way through the trickier moments, most notably saving two break points to hold in the second game.

A break mid-way through the second set was enough to secure Norrie victory in a tight encounter where his more impressive service numbers were key. The three-time ATP Tour titlist won 76 per cent (31/41) of points behind his first delivery, according to Infosys ATP Stats.

The win extends Norrie’s ATP Head2Head series lead over Draper to 2-0. The pair met at the 2021 Cinch Championships in London, where Norrie claimed victory in straight sets, but despite another defeat the No. 145-ranked Draper will feel his performance in Miami is another boost for his season as he aims to qualify for November’s Intesa Sanpaolo Next Gen ATP Finals.

Having reached the quarter-finals defending his title in Indian Wells last week, Norrie will hope his excellent form can now take him to a career-best performance in Miami. He reached the third round for the first time in 2021 before falling to Taylor Fritz in three sets. His opponent at that stage this year will be either Hugo Gaston or 2018 champion John Isner.

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