Roger Federer produced another dazzling performance on Monday, easing past Juan Martin del Potro in the third round at the Miami Open. Federer wowed a boisterous, capacity crowd at Crandon Park, winning 6-3 6-4 in just over 80 minutes of nearly flawless tennis.
Former US Open champion del Potro, buoyed by a large Argentine contingent who did their best to lift him with regular chants of ‘ole, ole, ole’, did not submit easily but one break in each set was enough for Federer to move on to the fourth round.
“Shortly before I walked to the court, you could sense the atmosphere,” Federer told the Miami Herald. “I think if the match would have gone three sets or tiebreakers or something even closer, it would have been really epic.”
Federer improved his career record against del Potro to 16-5, the Swiss closing out the match in style with a forehand winner.
The 35-year-old, who missed the second half of 2016 with a knee injury, has lost only once this year, to Russian Evgeny Donskoy in early February.
An 18th grand slam crown in a five-set thriller over long-time rival Rafa Nadal at the Australian Open in January has been the highlight of the still young season, but the past two weeks in the United States have been second to none.
He ripped through the field at Indian Wells without dropping a set en route to the title, and has not lost a set in his first two matches in Miami either.
Federer is giving his opponents less time than ever to react, running them ragged by regularly standing inside the baseline and taking the ball early.
Next up for Federer is Spanish 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who overcame a slow start to outlast American 22nd seed Sam Querrey 3-6 6-2 6-3.
Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych beat 24th seed Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-3 6-4, while Adrian Mannarino of France edged Croatian Borna Coric 6-4 2-6 7-6(3). In late matches, top seed Stan Wawrinka beat Malek Jaziri 6-3 6-4 as he tries to capture his first tournament of the year.
Wawrinka will face German Alexander Zverev after the 19-year-old beat American John Isner 6-7(5) 7-6(7) 7-6(5) in a thriller. Isner served 28 aces but still came up short.
Nick Kyrgios came out on top after a battle with Ivo Karlovic, the Australian winning 6-4 6-7(4) 7-6(2) to set up a meeting with 8th seed David Goffin, who beat Diego Schwartzman 4-6 6-3 7-5. It’s all happening in Miami.

ATP and WTA Miami Open results (Key matches)
Results from the ATP and WTA Miami Open on Monday (x denotes seed):
Men
3rd rd

Stan Wawrinka (SUI x1) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-3, 6-4
Alexander Zverev (GER) bt John Isner (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5)
Nick Kyrgios (AUS x12) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO x17) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2)
David Goffin (BEL x8) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5
Roger Federer (SUI x4) bt Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x29) 6-3, 6-4
Tomas Berdych (CZE x10) bt Gilles Muller (LUX x24) 6-3, 6-4
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/3)

Women
4th rd

Angelique Kerber (GER x1) bt Risa Ozaki (JPN) 6-2, 6-2
Venus Williams (USA x11) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x7) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS x14) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2
Johanna Konta (GBR x10) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 7-5, 6-1
Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x12) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x6) 7-6 (7/1), retired, illness
Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x4) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1
Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO x26) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 7-5, 6-4
Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE x15) 6-1, 6-4






Related Story