ATP Miami: Krajinovic edges Wawrinka. Shapovalov and Medvedev advance
The world no. 103 Filip Krajinovic has scored the 13th Masters 1000 win, prevailing over Stan Wawrinka 5-7, 6-2, 7-6 in two hours and 39 minutes to reach the third round. The Swiss was in a good position to bring the match home despite a problem with the right ankle, leading 3-1 in the deciding set and having a 5-2 advantage in the tie break before Filip grabbed five straight points to cross the finish line first and grab an important win, reaching the fourth round in Miami a year ago. Krajinovic tamed his shots more effectively, firing 32 winners and 19 unforced errors while Stan counted to 42 winners but also 50 mistakes, spraying some big mistakes in the decisive moments to hit the exit door earlier than he expected and switching his focus to clay.
Wawrinka had the upper hand in the most extended exchanges although that wasn't enough to propel him over the finish line since Filip had a clear advantage in the mid-range rallies to push himself into the last 32. Thanks to that second set, Krajinovic won 15 points more overall and saved six out of nine break points, stealing Stan's serve four times and staying in contention after that break he suffered in the final set to emerge at the top. Wawrinka opened a 4-1 lead in the first set before Krajinovic fought back, staying neck and neck with the better-ranked opponent until game 12 when Stan broke him at love for a 7-5.
The Serb was the only player on the court in set number two, struggling to move as he would have wanted and suffering two breaks to hand the set to Filip who was the favorite in the decider. After receiving a medical timeout, the Swiss started to play better again, opening a 3-1 advantage in the third set before sending a forehand long to gift the break to Filip in the very next game. Wawrinka had a 5-2 lead in the tie break but his shots let him down in the remaining points, losing five of those to push Krajinovic over the finish line. The 14th seed Marco Cecchinato had an easy day at the office, advancing into the third round when Damir Dzumhur gave him a walkover, joining Leonardo Mayer there after the Argentinian defeated the countryman Guido Pella 6-2, 6-4 after grueling an hour and 40 minutes.
The 13th seed Daniil Medvedev took down Adrian Mannarino 6-2, 6-1 in 69 minutes, dropping just 11 points on serve (two behind the first) and giving serve away once to mount the pressure on the Frenchman who couldn't endure it. Mannarino never found the rhythm behind the initial shot and he lost 56% of the points in his games, playing against no less than 16 break points and trailing all the time with five breaks he gave to the Russian. Medvedev converted the seventh break point at 2-1 to draw first blood when Adrian sent a backhand wide.
Daniil played a loose service game to bring the rival back into contention although that was never an obstacle, claiming the last three games for a 6-2 and the momentum before the second set. Three straight games quickly turned into eight as the Russian raced towards a 5-0 advantage, missing a chance to seal the deal on the return in the sixth game of the second set before a comfortable hold that pushed him over the finish line. The 20th seed Denis Shapovalov had to stay on the court for almost two hours against Daniel Evans, scoring a 4-6, 6-1, 6-3 win, the 22nd on the Masters 1000 level. Evans fought well before suffering the right ankle injury in the third game of the second set, unable to match Shapovalov's pace in the rest of the encounter.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2CAd35c
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