The first week of the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium has brought some thrilling tennis, as well as some surprise results. But who will book their place in the round of 16 in the Sunshine State?
Novak Djokovic vs Federico Delbonis
Head-to-head – first meeting
Novak Djokovic struggled at the start of his second round win over Bernard Tomic, going down a break early on in the first set. But he managed to recover it and after winning the first set on a tiebreak, the Serb coasted home in the second to complete a 7-6 6-2 win. And he shouldn’t have much of an issue against Federico Delbonis. The Argentine is consistent enough and has a reasonably heavy forehand, but he lacks the sort of artillery to really trouble the world’s best. Nor will it help his cause that this is their first meeting. Expect this one to be more routine for Djokovic than his win over Tomic.
Djokovic in two
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Milos Raonic vs Kyle Edmund
Head-to-head – Raonic leads 1-0
Milos Raonic has made it to the Miami Open round of 32 without playing a match. After a bye in the first round, Raonic advanced to the third round when Maximilian Marterer pulled out of their second-round clash with a knee injury. Edmund, meanwhile, who also received a first-round bye, looked strong in dispatching Ilya Ivashka in the second round, 6-3 6-2, continuing the good form he showed in the Californian desert. Raonic won their only previous meeting on the hard courts in Delray Beach two years ago, but it was a close contest. Expect this one to go the same way, but for Edmund to test the Canadian again.
Raonic in three
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John Isner vs Albert Ramos Vinolas
Head-to-head – 1-1
John Isner and Albert Ramos Vinolas’ previous two matches took place on clay at the Rome Masters, the Spaniard’s favoured surface. But one has to give an edge to the powerful Isner on hard courts, especially at the Miami Open where he’s the defending champion. Ramos Vinolas will surely apply plenty of industry to this clash and did impress in beating 25th seed Lucas Pouille in the second round, rallying past the Frenchman from a set down. But he doesn’t have the weapons to get past Isner, especially on this surface. Unfortunately for the Spaniard, the reverse is not true. Isner shouldn’t have any problems here.
Isner in two
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Roberto Bautista Agut vs. Fabio Fognini
Head-to-head – Fognini leads 7-2
Sunday’s match at the Miami Open will somewhat surprisingly be their 10th career meeting. Perhaps more surprisingly, the enigmatic Fabio Fognini has dominated the head-to-head against the typically consistent Roberto Bautista Agut, with seven wins in nine against the Spaniard. Fognini, who spends his off season training in Miami, also usually plays well in the Sunshine State, even reaching the semifinals in 2017. He picked up a confidence boosting 5-7 6-4 6-4 win over Guido Andreozzi in the second round. Bautista Agut, meanwhile, proved too strong for the veteran Janko Tipsarevic, edging the Serb 7-6 6-4. This looks like being a another close contest, but Fognini has dominated this rivalry for a reason. Expect him to advance to the round of 16.
Fognini in two
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