Tennis News

Following an entertaining fortnight in Miami, the final of the tournament is official: world No. 1 and seven time champion Serna Williams will encounter resurgent Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro to determine who will lift the trophy on Saturday. Williams is undefeated in their four previous encounters in the head-to-head series, including a clay court win last season in Madrid.

At first, Williams’ match against Halep looked as though it would be a straightforward encounter, as the American rushed through the first set to an early lead. However, the Romanian rebounded in the second set when Williams’ unforced error count rose significantly. Yet in the end, the top seed found the crucial break near the end of the match and closed out the encounter 6-2, 4-6, 7-5.

“I actually had a fun match,” Williams said. “I just feel it was on my racquet. I had chances in the second set but didn’t take them. That’s something I can’t do going into the Grand Slams coming up.”

“I really like her attitude on the court. I like how she gets pumped up. I like how she fights. I like how she plays. I just think it’s fun to watch and it’s different – it’s definitely a refreshing type of game.”

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In an incredible story, an inspired Suarez Navarro reached a remarkable career accomplishment when she found her way into her first WTA Premier Mandatory (or higher) final with a victory over Germany’s Andrea Petkovic. She crusied to victory in straight sets with much help from Petkovic’s unforced error count (32). She won the match 6-3, 6-3 to set up an enticing final against the American.

“I feel so happy. It’s so important for me,” the Spaniard said of the breakthrough. “I was practicing and working all year with my team for a moment like this.”

This marks the fifth time these two competitors will meet on the professional tour, with Williams leading the series with an impenetrable 4-0 record. While the Spaniard is playing some of the best tennis of her career, it is still difficult to envision her actually toppling the world No. 1 player on Saturday.

Prediction: Serena Williams in Three Sets

Following their fourth round meeting at Indian Wells a couple of weeks ago at Indian Wells, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic and American No. 1 John Isner will meet again to determine who will advance to the final of the 2015 Miami Open. The two have crossed paths eight times previously, with Djokovic leading the head-to-head series 6-2.

In a much cleaner performance than his previous encounters in Miami this week, Novak Djokovic defeated an in-form David Ferrer in straight sets to work his way into the semi-final round in Miami. The only hiccup in the match came during the beginning, as Djokovic suffered from a slow start and quickly fell 1-4 before he regrouped and never looked back. He eventually closed out the match 7-5, 7-5 in under two hours.

In an impressive boost for American tennis, John Isner is through to the Miami Open semi-final after he defeated Kei Nishikori in straight sets 6-4, 6-3. It was an emphatic performance from the towering big-sever and he managed to hit 13 aces to close out the match in one hour and 10 minutes.

“Playing him is always a challenge,” Isner said of a possible matchup with Djokovic. “He’s the greatest player in the world right now, hands down. I played well against him last week in Indian Wells and he beat me in a tight two set match. “I’m going to have to bring that level and some if I do play against him, and I believe I can do that. He’s got a tough match [tonight] against one of the best competitors or sport has.”

This marks the ninth time that these two competitors will meet on the ATP World Tour, with Djokovic leading the series 6-2. Isner’s only two wins against the Serb were on American soil, including a semi-final win over Djokovic at this very event in 2012. While he is capable of another upset, it is difficult to determine whether the American will follow up on his impressive week so far on the tour.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic in Three Sets

An interesting semi-final match-up is scheduled to take place on Friday afternoon in Miami, as British No. 1 Andy Murray and Czech No. 1 Tomas Berdych meet for the twelfth time on the professional tour. While Murray holds the better record at the Australian Open, he trails Berdych 5-6 in Head to Head series.

Third seed Andy Murray is nearly through to his fourth Miami Open final, following his three set victory over Dominic Thiem on Wednesday afternoon. After weathering an aggressive and inspired start from the Austrian, Murray rebounded effectively to close out the match comfortably 3-6, 6-4, 6-1. After accomplishing the 500-win milestone, Murray will now look to reach his fourth Miami Open final when he meets Berdych in the semi-final.

“I expected a tough match,” Murray said. “He’s beaten some very good players this week already… When you let him dictate the points, he hits the ball as hard off each side as anyone.

Unlike his upcoming opponent, Berdych managed to beat his quarter-final opponent, Juan Monaco in straightforward fashion. He beat the Argentinian 6-3, 6-4 to set up his final four berth against the Scot. Given that he has reached the Miami Open final before, the Czech will be motivated to go even further and lift the title.

“What’s positive for me is that I think [Murray] played a very good tournament, very good tennis, and I managed to find a way to win a set,” Berdych said of his most recent meeting with the World No. 4. “It’s definitely going to be my goal to stick to the game plan and execute it.”

This marks the twelfth time that Murray and Berdych will cross paths on the professional tour, with Berdych leading the series 6-5. Murray won their most recent encounter at the Australian Open semi-final and will look to add to that momentum in 2015 en route to yet another Miami Open final.

Prediction: Andy Murray in Three Sets

Just over a week after the two competitors were scheduled to meet at Indian Wells, world No. 1 Serena Williams and Simona Halep will cross paths in the semi-final round of the Miami Open. Since Williams withdrew from their last encounter, she still leads the head-to-head series 4-1.

In a rollercoaster encounter that required determination against a rejuvenated and inspired opponent, top seed Serena Williams managed to overcome Germany’s Sabine Lisicki in three sets to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament. In the end, she managed to take an early break in the final set and closed out the match 7-6(4), 1-6, 6-3.

“I look forward to it because I didn’t get to play her last time,” Williams said. “I was disappointed to not be able to play, and just not even be close to 100%. So I look forward to playing her this time.”

In an intriguing quarter-final encounter, third seed Simona Halep defeated Sloane Stephens 6-1, 7-5 to advance to the final four in Miami. The Romanian had a slight hiccup during the second set as she led 6-1, 3-0, but eventually managed to break nd close out the encounter in straight sets.

“The beginning of the match was really fast. I think I was really playing my best tennis,” Halep said in her on-court interview. “She came back and changed the tactics, playing a little bit slower, and I lost my rhythm for a little bit. But I’m happy I could get it back and win the match in two sets in the end.”

Williams and Halep will meet on the professional tour for the sixth time over their careers, and the first time this season given Williams’ withdrawal last season. It is safe to say that Williams will be on high alert against Halep, as she will likely remember the devastating loss in the round robin stage of the WTA finals. Now that they will finally meet in 2015, it will be interesting to see who holds the edge.

Prediction: Serena Williams in Three Sets

For the first time on the ATP World Tour, Kei Nishikori and John Isner, respective national No. 1s, will meet to determine who will advance to the following round of the tournament. Following impressive fourth round wins, the two will look to determine who will advance to the final four of the tournament.

In one of his easiest matches so far this season, Kei Nishikori cruised into the quarter-final round in Miami following a straight sets victory over David Goffin. He beat the Belgian 6-1, 6-2 to secure his spot in the following round. Nishikori struck five aces, won 74% of his first service points and saved three break points to close out the match in 68 minutes. Another win for the Japanese No. 1 would ensure that he matches his best performance at the event from last season.

“I don’t think it usually happens, but I have been playing well, so everything is going well,” Nishikori said of his early success. “My serve, my return, my strokes–I feel a lot of confidence, playing good.”

Nishikori’s upcoming opponent, John Isner, barely edged the higher seeded Canadian Milos Raonic to advance to the quarter-final round. It was a serve dominated encounter, as expected, and Isner managed to hit 25 aces against Raonic’s 12 to close out the match 6-7(3), 7-6(6), 7-6(5) in two hours and 43 minutes. This is the first time that the American reaches the semi-final stage of this particular Masters 1000 event.

This marks the first time that Nishikori and Isner will meet on the professional tour and makes for a difficult encounter to predict. While the Japanese No. 1 is yet to find his peak form from last season, he should hold the edge against the big-serving American. However, Isner’s win against Raonic was an encouraging sign for his potential to advance to the semi-final round in Miami.

Prediction: Kei Nishikori in Three Sets

It may not have been the easiest of matches, but Novak Djokovic still found his way into the quarter-final round of the Miami Open. He will now continue his campaign to defend his crown and accomplish another Indian Wells-Miami double. Up next is a match-up against David Ferrer, his 19th overall meeting against the Spaniard. Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 13-5.

The world No. 1 was forced to rally from a set down to earn his spot in the final eight in Miami. After dropping the first set to Alexandr Dolgopolov in a tiebreak, Djokovic fought valiantly from a break down in the second set before he stormed to victory with an emphatic final frame to secure the 6-7(3), 7-5, 6-0 victory.

“I fought my way through,” said Djokovic. “I was frustrated. I was losing my composure in the first set, because I didn’t feel good. So I was just trying to find a way to come back in the match. “I don’t feel that I’m very fresh on the court, even though I’m trying. Again, I’m in the quarter-finals of this tournament. This day off tomorrow will definitely serve me and help me to recover mentally, because physically I’m fine. I feel okay. Hopefully I can perform better in the next one.”

Unlike his upcoming opponent, David Ferrer only needed straight sets to get past Gilles Simon on Tuesday. He defeated the Frenchman 7-6(5), 6-0 to advance in one hour and 35 minutes. He managed to convert six break points, including the three he secured in his bagel second set.

Considering Djokovic leads the head-to-head series 13-5, there should be little doubt that he will control the contest en route to the semi-final round of the tournament. While Ferrer is coming off a strong week, he is unlikely to be able to stop the Serbian star.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic in Three Sets

After finally crossing the Rubicon to earn her first ever victory against Flavia Pennetta, Simona Halep is through to the quarter-final round of the Miami Open. The Romanian will next come up against Sloane Stephens, whom she is tied with 2-2 in the head-to-head series.

The tournament’s third seed managed to overcome a turbulent match against her Italian adversary to salvage the second set and close out the match 6-3, 7-5. It was an inspired comeback to bring about a straightforward end to the encounter. She is now tied with Karolina Pliskova for the most wins on the tour this season (23).

“It was a very tough match. She’s a great player,” Halep said. “In the second set I was down 5-2, and I was playing badly, so I knew I just had to cool down and start playing more aggressively and hit the ball deeper. I did that when I went back on court. I tried everything and finally I was able to win.”

Awaiting her in the quarter-final is Sloane Stephens, who defeated Belinda Bencic in a battle between two of the tour’s rising stars. She also had to rally from a break down in the second set to close out the match 6-4, 7-6(5).

“I remember one match against her at the US Open, when she beat me in the fourth round,” Halep said. “It was a tough match there. I was very disappointed when I lost that match. She hits very strong, and it’s difficult for me to play her. But there I was more behind the court; now I’m more aggressive.

This marks the fifth time that these two competitors will cross paths on the WTA tour, with the series tied at 2-2. While Stephens had a stranglehold over the series for a while, Halep outdid her in their most recent encounter at last year’s French Open. The Romanian will undoubtedly be the favourite for this encounter, and it will be interesting to see if she will live up to her new mantle.

Prediction: Simona Halep in Three Sets

British No. 1 Andy Murray and Dominic Thiem meet for a spot in the semi-final round of the Miami Open. This is just the second time that the two competitors cross paths on the ATP World Tour, with Murray leading the Head to Head series 1-0 with a victory back in Rotterdam last season.

Scotland’s Andy Murray reached a remarkable milestone on Tuesday afternoon, when he defeated South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in three sets to secure his 500th match win. According to the ATP World Tour, he became the first British player in the Open Era to achieve this. He beat the 15th seed 6-4, 3-6, 6-3 to earn a place in the quarter-final round of the tournament. It is the sixth time that he has reached that stage of the tournament and was a clearly a motivated performance from the Briton.

“I played one bad game on my serve at 3-love in the second set where I started rushing a little bit, which is a shame, because I managed to get a break back and then made that second set a bit tougher for him,” Murray said. “In the third set I created quite a lot of chances and opportunities and served better.”

For the first time in his career, Dominic Thiem is through to the quarter-final stage of a Masters 1000 event. The youngster defeated Adrian Mannarino in three sets, 7-6(5), 4-6, 7-5 in an enthralling encounter that lasted a total of two hours and 13 minutes. Thiem was even forced to claw his way back from a break down in the final set to close out the match with a break of his own.

This is just the second time that Murray and Thiem cross paths on the professional tour, with Murray leading the series 1-0. Their sole meeting took place last season in Rotterdam, which Murray won in three sets. This should be a similar match but could even be one that the Scot wins in straight sets.

Prediction: Andy Murray in Straight Sets

An intriguing fourth round encounter between Canada’s Milos Raonic and John Isner is scheduled to take place on Tuesday afternoon in Miami. It will mark just the third time that the two big serving talents will cross paths on the tour, with the Isner v Raonic Head to Head standing at 2-0. However, given that this is their first meeting in almost two years, this will likely be a more competitive encounter.

Canadian No.1 Milos Raonic edged France’s Jeremy Chardy 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(3) to secure his spot in the fourth round in Miami. He struck 20 aces and hit 39 winners to close out the match in two hours and 10 minutes.

“[Chardy] started playing more freely and I sort of went the other way,” said Raonic. “He played good the second set. I thought he played better than I did in the third set.”

Raonic will come up against John Isner, who upset ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets 7-6(2), 6-2 to secure his spot in the following round of the event.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning,” said Isner. “I hadn’t played at night here; hadn’t played on center court yet. Everything is different; the conditions are different. I wasn’t really going for my shots too much. “After winning the first set, it’s a huge advantage for me. I relaxed a little bit… His errors combined with me gaining some confidence out there is what ultimately allowed me to win that second set.”

This is just the third time that Raonic and Isner will meet on the ATP World Tour. Both of those previous meetings took place at Masters events, the first in Toronto, while the second was in Cincinnati the following year. However, much has changed since then and Raonic continues to close the gap between himself and the upper echelon of the tour, which means he could very well earn his first win against the American on Tuesday.

Prediction: Milos Raonic in Three Sets

Following a much better second match in Miami, world No. 1 Novak Djokovic is through to the fourth round of tournament, where he will encounter Alexandr Dolgopolov, whom he has not faced in nearly two years. Djokovic remains undefeated in the rivalry, and leads 3-0 in the head-to-head series.

The tournament’s top seed only needed two sets to reach the fourth round in Miami, as he defeated Steve Darcis in relatively straightforward fashion, prevailing 6-0, 7-5. He will now continue his campaign to reach his sixth title at this tournament. As the defending champion, the odds are in his favour.

“I know his game pretty well,” Djokovic said of his next opponent. “I know what to expect. Hopefully I’ll be able to start as well as I did in the first two matches, but then end it in a bit different way [and] keep the concentration going all the way through.”

“I was handling it really good for first 30 minutes, then [I] started to make some unforced errors and started to play a little bit more neutral, a little bit slower, and he got into the match. [I] complicated my own life in the second set, but in the end of the day, it’s a win.”

Alexandr Dolgopolov defeated Thomaz Bellucci in straight sets to advance to the fourth round. He withstood seven aces, won 81% of his first service points and converted two break points to win the match 7-5,6-3 in one hour and 27 minutes of court time.

This is set to be the fourth time that Djokovic and Dolgopolov cross paths on the ATP World Tour, with the Serbian star leading the series with an unblemished 3-0 record. This is their first meeting in almost two years but that will hardly change the outcome of the encounter.

Prediction: Novak Djokovic in Straight Sets