Tsitsipas tops Nishikori to reach last 16 in Miami, Rublev beats Fucsovics again
Stefanos Tsitsipas and Andrey Rublev reached the last 16 at the Miami Masters 1000, but a previously in-form Aslan Karatsev bid farewell to the tournament on Monday.
Tsitsipas Miami Open
Stefanos Tsitsipas battled through to the Miami Open round of 16 where he was joined by Andrey Rublev, who scored another win over Marton Fucsovics, on Monday.
Canadian Denis Shapovalov was knocked out but his countryman Milos Raonic did advance to the fourth round, as did fifth seed Diego Schwartzman and former US Open champion Marin Cilic.
Tstisipas halts Nishikori
Despite a mid-match wobble, Tsitsipas overcame former world No 4 Nishikori 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 to reach the fourth round. Tsitsipas, who hit 32 winners, will meet Lorenzo Sonego for a place in the quarter-finals after the 24th seed defeated Daniel Elahi Galan 7-6(6), 6-3.
Stefanos Survives!
🇬🇷 @steftsitsipas holds off Kei Nishikori with a 6-3, 3-6, 6-1 victory. pic.twitter.com/oA5F1oMAFz
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 30, 2021
Rublev beats Fucsovics for the third time this month
Russian fourth seed Rublev made light work of Marton Fucsovics 6-2, 6-1 in just 52 minutes. Rublev leads the ATP Tour with 18 victories this season after eliminating the in-form Hungarian. The win marked Rublev’s third win over the 29th seed this month and his fourth win in as many matches against Fucsovics since last August.
Hard not to smile after a game like that! 😁@AndreyRublev97 | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/EKASV3EZAg
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 29, 2021
The Russian was seen laughing at the end of the encounter as he walked up to shake hands with Fucsovics and spoke about the same after his match.
“I was laughing, because of [the] situation and plus Marton also told me, ‘I don’t want to see you. I don’t want to see you’,” Rublev said, cracking a laugh. “[It was] just a situation that [was] fun, and I feel sorry.”
Rublev next meets 2014 US Open champion and former world No 3 Marin Cilic, who beat young Italian Lorenzo Musetti 6-3, 6-4.
Shapovalov exits but Raonic advanced
Meanwhile, sixth seed Denis Shapovalov was defeated in straight sets by Hubert Hurkacz 6-3, 7-6(6). Hurkacz will have to get past another Canadian, Milos Raonic, if he is to reach the quarterfinals in Miami. 12th seeded Raonic scored a 6-4, 7-5 win over Ugo Humbert.
New milestone unlocked 🔒@HubertHurkacz downs Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6(6) to reach his first @MiamiOpen 4R 🔥pic.twitter.com/YAag3NGNr2
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 29, 2021
American Sebastian Korda became the first player outside the Top 5 to beat Karatsev this year. Korda won 6-3, 6-0 to reach the last 16 at an ATP Masters Series event for the first time in his career. He will next take on fifth seed Diego Schwartzman, who defeated Frenchman Adrian Mannarino 6-1, 6-4.
