Tennis News

Czech No. 1 Tomas Berdych reached the quarter-final round of the Miami Open, where he will now come up against Juan Monaco to determine who will advance to the final four at the Masters 1000 event. This marks the seventh time that they cross paths on the ATP World Tour, with Berdych leading the series with an unblemished 6-0 head to head record.

Seeded eighth at the event, Tomas Berdych didn’t even need to finish his fourth round match to find his way into the quarter-final round in Miami. While leading France’s Gael Monfils 6-3, 3-2, Monfils took a terrible tumble and was forced to retire from the contest.

“In the end I feel sorry for Gaël,” said Berdych. “That’s not the ideal way to finish up the match. But in the end I’m through. That’s what matters, that’s what counts. So I’m happy with the win. Really just it’s not the way that you want to finish the match, but that’s how it is. So we need to move on and just go for the next one.”

Argentina’s Juan Monaco ousted Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round in Miami, which is impressive given that the Spaniard was coming off a upset win over Rafael Nadal in the previous round. He defeated Verdasco 6-3, 6-3 in a match that lasted a total of one hour and 24 minutes.

This will mark the seventh time that Berdych and Monaco will meet on the professional tour, with Berdych leading the series 6-0. Their last meeting took place three years ago in the Davis Cup, and their last tour meeting was in 2011, so it is hard to determine how this match will go. However, given Berdych’s performances against players outside the Top five, he will undoubtedly be the odds –on favourite to win the match.

Prediction: Tomas Berdych in Straight 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.

Watch the match Live Here: Djokovic vs Dolgopolov Miami Live Stream

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.”

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“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

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For the first time since their dramatic Wimbledon encounter nearly two years ago, world No. 1 Serena Williams and Sabine Lisicki will cross paths on the professional tour. Williams will now have the opportunity to avenge her loss to Lisicki when they meet in the quarter-final of the Miami Open. Williams leads the head-to-head series 2-1.

Watch the match Live Here: Williams vs Lisicki Miami Live Stream

In expected form, Serena Williams emphasized her top seed status when she cruised past Svetlana Kuznetsova in straight sets to reach the quarter-final round in Miami. It was an impressively dominant win against an opponent who was playing well at the event beforehand, as she closed out the match 6-2, 6-3. She struck six aces, won 85% of her first service points and saved all four of the break points she faced to close out the match in one hour and 14 minutes.

“Playing Svetlana, I know she’s super tough – we always have super tough matches,” Williams said. “The last time we played I was just fighting my hardest and I was barely able to win, so today I knew I had to come out super super focused, and I really just tried to do the best I could out there.”

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“That’s a lot of winners – I’m just so happy to still be out here playing at home,” she added.

Germany’s Sabine Lisicki reached the quarter-final following an upset victory against Serbia’s Ana Ivanovic. She stormed past Ivanovic 6-1, 6-2 in a surprisingly smooth performance to set up her encounter with Williams.

This mark the fourth time that these two competitors cross paths on the WTA tour, with Williams leading the head-to-head series 2-1. While the American holds the lead in the series, Lisicki won their most recent meeting at the 2013 Wimbledon Championships. Howevr, while Lisicki seems to play her best at SW19, she is unlikely to overcome the longtime champion en route to the semi-final.

Prediction: Serena Williams 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.

Watch the match Live Here: Raonic vs Isner Miami Live Streaming

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.”

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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

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British No. 1 Andy is through to the fourth round of the Miami Open, where he will contest yet another match against South Africa’s Kevin Anderson. It will mark their fifth meeting on the ATP World Tour; Murray holds a 3-1 lead in the head-to-head series, including a recent win in Valencia late last season.

Watch the match Live Here: Murray vs Anderson Miami Live Stream

Seeded third in Miami, Murray blasted his way past Santiago Giraldo in straight set to advance to the fourth round of the tournament. He now holds 499 wins and will look to secure his 500-win milestone when he faces Kevin Anderson on Tuesday.

“It’s nice, because when you see the list of the players that have won that many matches there aren’t loads,” said Murray. “I think there are only 40 or so players that have done it.”

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Murray played a clean match against Giraldo, as he struck five aces and 19 winners to earn the victory in one hour and 24 minutes.

“I played well,” Murray added. “I thought it was a good performance. I hit the ball pretty clean. He came out and started swinging a bit towards the end of the match and made it a little bit tricky, but I thought for the most part I played very well.”

Kevin Anderson also faced a similarly straightforward match on Sunday, as he defeated Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 6-4, 6-4 to secure his spot in the fourth round of the tournament. He fired 12 aces, won 83% of his first service points and converted all three break point opportunities to close out the match in 88 minutes.

This contest will serve as the fifth encounter between Murray and Anderson. The Briton leads the head-to-head series 2-1, including a win late last season in Valencia. Murray should pick up another win against Anderson with little notable resistance if he plays his best tennis.

Prediction: Andy Murray in Three Sets

World No. 3 Rafael Nadal’s campaign for his first Miami Open title will have to be put on hold for another year, as the Spaniard crashed out of the third round of the tournament with a loss to Fernando Verdasco on Sunday.

It was a timid performance from Nadal, who rallied from a set down to level the match and force a decider. However, he was unable to stop his fellow countryman from breaking serve in the final set to close out the match 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

In the end, Nadal refused to use his physical condition as a crutch, and instead explained that the issue was with confidence and nerves at the moment.

“It’s not the question of tennis, [It’s] the question of being relaxed enough to play well on court,” the 28 year old said. “Today my game in general improved since a month and a half [ago]. But at the same time, [I’m] still playing with too many nerves for a lot of moments, in important moments.”

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Nadal is aware that he has been surrendering matches that were firmly within hi grasp, which is something he plans to work on with his team.

“I have been able to control my emotions during 90 per cent, 95 per cent of my matches of my career… But I’m going to fix it,” he said. “I don’t know if [it’ll be] in one week, in six months, or in one year, but I’m going to do it.

“It’s something that I need to fix for myself and with my team. I need the help of my team, but especially I need the help of myself. That’s what I am trying to do. Nobody’s going to change the situation for you.”

Canadian No. 1 Eugenie Bouchard suffered an even more devastating exit from the tournament, as she lost to qualifier Tatjana Maria 6-0, 7-6 (4). She was broken on five occasions and crashed out of the tournament in embarrassing fashion as the sixth seed in Miami.

“I’m going to take a day off,” Bouchard said, “and then I’m going to practice a lot and try to put this one behind me as soon as possible.”

Following impressive performances in their third round matches in Miami, Simona Halep and Flavia Pennetta are scheduled to take part in an enthralling encounter to determine who will advance to the quarter-final stage of the tournament. This is the fourth time that Pennetta and Halep will meet on the tour and the Romanian is yet to earn her first victory over the veteran. Check out the Halep vs Pennetta Head to Head.

Watch the match Live Here: Halep vs Pennetta Miami Live Stream

World No. 3 Simona Halep took part in a wildly entertaining third round match against Italy’s Camila Giorgi, whom she eventually defeated in straight sets 6-4, 7-5 to secure the win. It marked her best career showing in Miami.

“Yeah, it’s the first time I’m in the fourth round here in Miami,” Halep said. “I came from Indian Wells, where I won the title, so I have more confidence now to win matches. And I like to play here. But I’m just trying to stay focused and keep improving every match. I want to fight for every chance.”

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Halep’s fourth round match will be against Flavia Pennetta, who defeated Victoria Azarenka in straight sets – both competitive tiebreaks. She toppled the former Miami Open champion 7-6(5), 7-6(6).

“It was a really good match. We both played really well,” Pennetta said. “In the end I was a little bit tight, but that’s normal when you have such a great champion like her on the other side of the net.

Of their three previous meetings on the professional tour, Halep has never managed to defeat Pennetta. However, while she holds an 0-3 record against the Italian, they have not crossed paths since 2013, which means she will now play an entirely different Halep this time around. With that in mind, this could be Halep’s time to clinch that elusive win.

“She’s improved a lot,” Pennetta said. “I’m going to try everything.”

Prediction: Simona Halep in Three Sets

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For the first time in nearly two years, Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova will cross paths on the WTA Tour in what will mark their tenth meeting on the professional tour. The American leads the head-to-head series 7-2, and has not lost to the Russian in six years.

Watch the match Live Here: Williams vs Kuznetsova Miami Live Streaming

Sunday afternoon saw a generational battle between Americans Serena Williams, the world No. 1 player, and 15-year-old CiCi Bellis, who took the tour by storm at last year’s US Open. While it was an intriguing match-up, the scoreline was lopsided as expected, as Williams notched a 6-1, 6-1 victory in 41 minutes of court time.

While it was a one-sided match, Williams was impressed with the way the 15-year-old handled herself during the match.

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“It was tough. She’s young, and her being an American and her just doing so well, you want to see people like her do well,” Williams said. “So when you’re up against them you have to kind of put that aside, even though I’m always cheering for her. But I have to put it aside and just play the match.

“If you break down her age and ability and how well she handled the moment, it was good.”

The American will come up against Svetlana Kuznetsova, who toppled 13th seed Angelique Kerber 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, including a comeback from a break down in the final set, to secure her spot in the fourth round. It was an impressive victory over a slumping player.

This marks the tenth time that these two competitors will meet on the professional tour, with Williams leading the head-to-head series 7-2. Williams has also won their last two consecutive matches dating back to 2009. Her only hard court loss to the Russian was back in 2007, while the other loss was at Roland Garros in 2009. Given those stats, the odds will greatly favour the storied Miami champion on Monday.

Prediction: Serena Williams in Straight Sets