Hubert Hurkacz saved five match points en route to a 6-7 (10-12) 7-6 (9-7) 7-6 (8-6) win over Thanasi Kokkinakis after 3 hours and 31 minutes at the Miami Open in one of the best matches of the 2023 season.
The first set went on serve with no break points and was decided in the tie-break. Kokkinakis raced out to a 3-0 lead in the tie-break, but Hurkacz reeled off six consecutive points to take a 6-3 lead. Kokkinakis saved six set points as he won the tie-break of the first set 12-10.
Hurkacz broke Kokkinakis in the fifth game of the second set to take a 3-2 lead. The Pole was serving at 5-4 to take the match into the decider, but Kokkinakis broke back to draw level to 5-5. Hurkacz fended off one more break point in the next game to force the second set to another tie-break. Kokkinakis earned the first mini-break, but Hurkacz pulled back on serve to draw level to 3-3. Kokkinakis earned three match points, one of those on his own serve, at 6-4, 6-5 and 7-6 in the tie-break of the second set, but Hurkacz fended them off. The Pole won the tie-break 9-7 to force the match to the decider.
Hurkacz earned four break points in the fourth game and one more chance in the eighth game, but Kokkinakis saved them. Kokkinakis earned a mini-break twice in the decisive tie-break, but Hurkacz pulled back on serve both times.
Kokkinakis earned another two match points. Hurkacz hit a winner up the line, when Kokkinakis was on serve at 6-4 in the tie-break of the third set. The Polish player hit an ace to save the fifth match point he faced and won the next three points to clinch the tie-break 8-6 on his first opportunity in the longest best-of-three match so far this season.
The previous longest best of three matches in 2023 lasted 3 hours and 26 minutes. Tommy Paul beat Taylor Fritz 6-4 6-7 (2-7) 7-6 (7-2) in the semifinals in Acapulco. Bernabe Zapata Miralles edged Roberto Carballes Baena 6-7 (6-8) 6-3 7-5 in the Cordoba Open.
Hurkacz won his first Masters 1000 title in Miami in 2021 beating Jannik Sinner.
“It’s tough to explain for me. I knew I was playing good tennis. I was trying to stay in there and compete, play some good shots. Either way, if I won or I lost, obviously I wanted to win so much, but either way I should have been happy with myself. Stealing a couple of points puts a little bit more pressure on the opponent and then sometimes the opponent tries to go for a bit extra and with that bit extra, you can mis that shot”, said Hurkacz.
Kokkinakis lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the second round at Indian Wells in 2023 and moved to Miami to play the qualifying round. He lost to Benoit Paire, but he was awarded one of the three lucky loser spots in the main draw. The Australian player beat wild card Zizou Bergs before taking on Hurkacz. Earlier this year Kokkinakis lost to Andy Murray in another marathon match after nearly six hours at the Australian Open.
Jiri Lehecka beat Lorenzo Musetti 6-4 6-4 in 1 hour and 21 minutes at the Miami Open at the Hard Rock Stadium to reach the third round of an ATP Masters 1000 tournament for the first time in his career.
Lehecka broke serve once in each set to take the win in 80 minutes.
Lehecka saved a break point in the fourth game of the first set before converting his fourth break point in the seventh game with a backhand return winner to take a 4-3 lead. Lehecka served out the first set at 30 in the 10th game.
Lehecka went up a break in the first game of the second set after Musetti made three unforced errors, including a double fault. The Czech player did not face any break points in his next service games. He hit a stop volley at 30-all and served out the second set at 30 with a service winner.
Lehecka won his first match at Masters 1000 level against Arthur Rinderknech at Indian Wells two weeks ago before losing to Andrey Rublev. He moved up four points to number 40 in the ATP Ranking, just three short his career-high.
Lehecka will take on either Karen Khachanov or Tomas Etcheverry in the third round.
Danil Medvedev cruised past Roberto Carbelles Baena 6-1 6-2 in his first match since his 19-match winning streak was broken by Carlos Alcaraz. Medvedev is the first player to win 25 matches this year.
“After my match with Carlos Alcaraz I thought I needed to use the drop-shot more. I have always liked drop shot but it’s not a weapon in my game that I am going to use 50 times a match. You need to have confidence in the shot and today it worked pretty well. It’s very nice to play in Miami. This city is really beautiful. It’s fantastic to see many people on holiday. I enjoy playing tennis in this city. I started the tournament very well and I am looking forward to continuing to win matches”, said Medvedev.
Medvedev hit 18 winners to Carballes Baena’s 5 and broke twice in each set. The Russian player will face Slovakian Alec Molcan, who beat Yoshihito Nishioka 7-6 (7-5) 1-6 6-2.
Quentin Halys saved three match points on his Miami Open debut to battle past Alex De Minaur 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3) 7-6 (10-8) after 3 hours and 18 minutes on a day of marathon matches.
Halys saved the first match point at 4-5 30-40 in the second set. The Frenchman fended off two match points in the tie-break of the third set before converting on his second match point to advance to the third round in a Masters 1000 tournament for the first time. Halys hit 57 winners, including 21 aces.
Halys set up a third round match against Mackenzie McDonald, who beat Matteo Berrettini 7-6 (10-8) 7-6 (7-5) after 2 hours and 17 minutes. Both players did not face a break point en route to the tie-break. Berrettini earned a 4-2 lead in the tie-break, but McDonald won four consecutive games to earn two set points at 6-4. McDonald saved a set point at 7-8 before sealing the tie-break 10-8 on his fourth opportunity.
Berrettini saved two break points at 6-5 15-40 in the second set. McDonald saved two set points points with an ace and a backhand passing shot. McDonald rallied from 1-3 down to win the tie-break 7-5.
Lorenzo Sonego came back from one set down to Daniel Evans 4-6 6-3 6-2. Evans earned an early break in the first game to win the opening set 6-4. Sonego earned a break in the fourth game to take a 3-1 lead before saving three break points to hold serve in the fifth game for 4-1. Sonego held on his final two service games to force the match to the third set.
Sonego earned an early break in the first game of the third set before saving four break points from 0-40 down in the second game. The Italian player converted his third break point before saving a break point to hold serve for 4-0. He saved the sixth break point at 4-1 before serving out the win at 30 in the eighth game.
Sonego set up a third round match against Frances Tiafoe, who needed six match points to beat Japan’s Yosuke Watanuki 6-7 (5-7) 7-6 (7-3) 6-4. Watanuki hit 55 winners, including 28 off his forehand side.
“It was brutal tonight, just one of those nights you try to get over the line. I was a little frustrated as I had never seen him play and he played very well and he was hitting incredibly from the baseline. He was playing lights out and I was on the back foot a lot. He played a helluva match tonight. So give respect where respect is due. He was so red hot but I was hoping his level might drop in glimpses and I did a good job of taking advantage when it did”, said Tiafoe.
