ATP Miami: Kyrgios, Coric and Isner open title quest. Kei Nishikori loses
The 19th seed Kyle Edmund has made an impressive start in Miami, toppling Ilya Ivashka 6-3, 6-2 in 70 minutes for the 19th Masters 1000 win. The Briton lost 12 points in eight service games, saving the only break point he faced and doing enough damage on the return to master the scoreboard and move into the third round. After four easy holds on both sides, Kyle moved 3-2 up when Ivashka sprayed a backhand error, sealing the opening set with a forehand down the line winner in game nine for a 6-3 after 33 minutes. Edmund saved the only break point at 1-1 in the second set and grabbed a break in game six despite trailing 40-0, opening the gap and moving over the finish line when Ivashka sent a forehand long in game eight.
The 7th seed and the defending champion John Isner is also through to the third round after a tight 7-6, 7-6 triumph over a qualifier Lorenzo Sonego in an hour and 48 minutes, blasting 20 aces and losing only 11 points behind the initial shot! Of course, Sonego was miles away from break points although he served well too, fending off the only chance he gave to John to match his pace and stay in contention. The American had the upper hand in the opening set tie break and was forced to work harder in the second, trailing 4-1, 5-3 and 7-6, repelling that set point and claiming the last three points of the match to wrap the things up and avoid the decider in the first test at Hard Rock Stadium.
The 17th seed Nikoloz Basilashvili took down Mischa Zverev 6-3, 6-2 in 66 minutes, losing serve once and delivering four breaks to leave the German behind for the seventh Masters 1000 victory. Federico Delbonis ousted John Millman 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 in two and a half hours, trailing 5-3 in the decider before pulling the break back in the very last moment to reach the tie break that he won 7-2 for the place in the round three. The 11th seed Borna Coric had to dig deep versus Roberto Carballes Baena, prevailing 7-6, 0-6, 6-2 in two hours and 32 minutes, overcoming an embarrassing second set and raising the level in the third to avoid an early setback and stay in the tournament.
After a short run at Indian Wells, Acapulco champion Nick Kyrgios is off to a solid start in Miami, toppling Alexander Bublik 7-5, 6-3 in 69 minutes, repelling all seven break points and breaking the younger rival once in each set to secure the place in the next round. Both players had more winners than unforced errors and it was an entertaining match from start to finish, with Kyrgios taking the majority of the shortest points to bring the encounter home and notch the 39th Masters 1000 win. After eight commanding holds, Nick faced an ultimate challenge in the ninth game when he repelled five break chances offered to Bublik, erasing two more at 5-5 and stealing the set with a break in game 12 when Alexander sent a backhand wide.
Carried by this momentum, Kyrgios sailed through his service games in set number two and he found the range on the return at 4-3, creating the crucial gap and crossing the finish line with a hold in game nine to book the spot in the last 32. The 5th seed Kei Nishikori headed to Miami after a poor Indian Wells run and he will have to wait for the clay to seek another title after Brisbane, suffering a 2-6, 6-2, 6-3 loss to Dusan Lajovic in an hour and 55 minutes, the first in three matches against the Serb. Dusan tamed his shots more effectively, winning five points more than the Japanese and taking control after the opening set, playing against just three break points in sets two and three and breaking the rival five times for one of his biggest wins in terms of ranking.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2WkbtvX
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