TENNIS – Four-time Miami champion Novak Djokovic edged Martin Klizan in three sets with 6-0 5-7 6-1 to advance to the third round of the Miami Open. Djokovic started with a bagel win in 23 minutes in the first set and was cruising to a easy win when he was leading 5-3 in the second set but Klizan recovered by reeling off four games in a row. Diego Sampaolo
Djokovic started the second set with two double faults. At 30-40 Klizan hit a backhand winner after an exciting rally and managed to break serve. Djokovic broke back before getting another break for 5-3. The Slovak broke serve in the ninth game as the World Number 1 was serving for the match at 5-3 and won four games in a row to win the second set with 7-5 pushing the match to the third set. Djokovic won the first eight points of the third set and broke serve in the second and in the sixth games en route to winning the third set with 6-1. Djokovic converted on just seven of his 19 break point chances
“Credit to Martin for battling and making me play the extra shot. It was a totally different game in the second set than it was in the first. I have been in these particular situations before many times in my career and the experience helps just to regroup and find a way. I felt under pressure in the last couple of games of the second set. I got a little bit tight ”, said Djokovic.
Djokovic will take on Belgian Steve Darcis who battled past Gilles Muller with 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 6-2 in two hours and 20 minutes. Darcis, who grabbed the headlines in 2013 when he beat Rafa Nadal at Wimbledon, fended off all the five break points he faced.
Aleksander Dolgopolov, quarter finalist in Miami in 2014, fought back from a set down to overcome Tommy Robredo 6-7 (1-7) 6-3 7-5 in two hours and 17 minutes. Dolgopolov hit 33 winners and converted on six of his fourteen break points. The match promised to be an exciting match and fulfilled its expectations. Dolgopolov broke serve in the first set to go up 3-0. Robredo broke back and took the 5-4 lead. Dolgopolov broke serve to draw level to 5-5. The first set came down to the tie-break which Robredo won easily with 7-1. Dolgopolov won the second set 6-3 forcing the match to the third set. Robredo broke serve in the third set but Dolgopolov broke back. The set went on serve until 6-5. Robredo went up 40-15 in the 12th game but he did not manage to force the set to the tie-break as Dolgopolov broke serve for 7-5.
Kei Nishikori dropped just three games in his 6-2 6-1 win over Mikhail Youzhny to advance to the second round. The Japanese star converted on five of his 16 break point chances and never faced a single break point chance. Nishikori broke serve in the fourth game of the first set at 2-1 and got the second break in the seventh game en route to winning the first set with 6-2. Nishikori was in control of the second set where he broke serve three times for 6-1.
Jo Wilfred Tsonga made his return to the court with a 6-4 3-6 6-3 win over Tim Szmyczek. The Frenchman earned a break point but he failed to convert it. The first set went on serve until the sixth game when Tsonga went down 0-30 on his serve but he held serve with a series of forehands before reeling off 12 points and broke serve and closed out the first set in the 10th game.
Both players played on serve until the sixth game when Tsonga dropped his serve at 15-40. Szmyczek served for the second set in the ninth game and wrapped up the set on the third set point after saving a break point. Tsonga broke serve in the fifth game of the third set en route to clinching the third set with 6-3. Tsonga will take on his compatriot Gael Monfils in the third round.
Grigor Dimitrov beat Vasek Pospisil 6-2 6-2. Dimitrov broke serve early in the first set and held his serve with two aces and got a double break in the fifth game. Dimitrov faced two break points but he faced them with an ace before pulling away to 5-1 en route to winning the first set with 6-2
Pospisil went down 0-30 on his serve early in the second set but he managed to hold his serve. Dimitrov held his service games. Pospisil committed three double faults and dropped three consecutive service games losing the second set with 6-2
Jack Sock, winner of the doubles title with his partner Vasek Pospisil last week at Indian Wells, beat Fabio Fognini 7-6 (7-4) 6-1 Fognini had to save break points at 2-2 in the first set and held his serve. At 4-3 Fognini brought up a break point chance but Sock saved it. The first set continued to be played on serve and came down to the tie-break. The breaker went on serve until 4-4 when Sock won a very long rally after Fognini made a backhand error. Sock won the tie-break with 7-4. Apart from a hard-fought service game in which Fognini saved break point chances, Sock dominated the second set with 6-1
Viktor Troicki edged past Simone Bolelli 7-5 3-6 6-4 after 2 hours and 11 minutes. Bolelli broke serve in the opening game of the first set converting on the only break point faced by Troicki in the first set. Both players held their serve until 5-3. Troicki won 16 points to 3 and broke serve twice to win the first set with 7-5. Bolelli saved tow break points in both the second and the fourth games. The Italian turned around the match winning four of the next five games to win the second set with 6-3. The third set went on serve until 3-3 when Bolelli committed four unforced errors and dropped his serve on the first break point chance for Troicki. Bolelli dropped all the eight points on Troicki’s serve.
In a match between two emerging stars of the circuit David Goffin beat Croatian teenager Borna Coric 6-0 6-4. After losing the first set with a bagel Coric held his serve in the first game of the second set but Goffin got the break en route to clinching the second set with 6-4.
Gael Monfils fought back from a set down to battle past Krajnovic 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-4). Milos Raonic beat Teymuraz Gabashvili 6-1 6-4. David Ferrer cruised past Federico Delbonis 6-1 6-1. Jerzy Janovicz overcame Roberto Bautista Agut 6-4 1-6 6-4.
Australian James Duckworth 4-6 6-2 6-1 setting up a all-Spanish derby against his compatriot Rafa Nadal. Fernando Verdasco fought back from a set down to beat Giles Simon edged Mikhail Kukushkin 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-0. Juan Monaco, finalist last month in Buenos Aires, beat Ernests Gulbis 6-2 6-4. John Isner beat World Number 1 ranked junior Andrey Rublev 6-3 6-4.
