ATP Miami: Roger Federer stroms over Daniil Medvedev to rush into quarters
Playing against each other for the third time, the world no. 5 and three-time Miami champion Roger Federer defeated Daniil Medvedev 6-4, 6-2 in swift 61 minutes to reach the 84th Masters 1000 quarter-final! The match was canceled on Wednesday due to rain and Federer didn't have to spend too much time on the court today, rattling off nine of the last 11 games from 4-3 down to race into the last eight and stay on the title course as the highest-ranked player left in the draw. In by far the best match he played at Hard Rock Stadium this year, Roger dropped 11 points in nine service games, fending off three break points in the tenth game of the opening set and delivering the other service games home with ease to mount the pressure on the young Russian.
Daniil, who is yet to taste a win against the Swiss veteran, fought well in the first eight games before suddenly losing the ground, never finding the rhythm again and finishing his journey in the fourth round. Federer fired 22 winners and just eight unforced errors, leaving Medvedev on a 14-15 ratio and dominating in both the shortest and mid-range rallies to forge the win in just over an hour. It was a solid start from both players behind the initial shot, reaching 4-4 in less than 25 minutes before Roger created two break points in the ninth game after a 34-shot rally. Daniil got broken on the first when his backhand landed long and he had the opportunity to pull it back in the very next game, creating three break points on the return when Roger served for the set at 5-4.
Staying focused, Roger won five straight points to get out of jail and close the opener in 32 minutes, gathering the momentum and becoming a clear favorite to bring the win home in straight sets. Fading from the court entirely, the young Russian netted a forehand to kick off the second set with broken serve, drifting further and further away from the positive result. Federer needed no second chance and he kept the break jealously, dropping just four points on serve in four service games and moving 5-2 up when Daniil hit a double fault in game seven. Serving for the triumph, Roger held at 30 with a forced error from Daniil to cross the finish line and set the quarter-final clash against Kevin Anderson.
from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2FvgKdi
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