Zverev Rolls Coric To Reach Miami SF, Will Face Carreno Busta Who Saves MP v Anderson
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Alexander Zverev showed again why he is the class of this younger generation. The 20-year-old crushed Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round on Tuesday and today had his way with the hot-handed Borna Coric in a 6-4, 6-4 victory.
The match was delayed about 90 minutes due to a lighting issue in the stadium, but it didn’t slow Zverev down who never dropped served. It was Zverev’s first career win against the Croat having lost to him twice before including at the US Open last year.
“Very difficult match,” Zverev said. “I think he’s playing very well right now. He played well in Indian Wells, playing well here. It doesn’t get any easier. But it’s a Masters. We know that it’s not going to get easier, and I’m looking forward to it.”
Zverev has now made three Masters semifinals, and in the two previous occasions he ended up winning the title at Rome and Canada last year.
And he’ll be the big favorite tomorrow night against the surprising Pablo Carreno Busta who edged Kevin Anderson in a thriller 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6) in 2 hours, 42 minutes.
The Spaniard looked well on his way to a first career win over Anderson in their US Open semifinal rematch. Serving 5-4 up a set, Carreno Busta shook off a bad call that would have given him 30-0, but couldn’t covert at 40-15. He was broken twice to drop the set.
In the third, with a Miami semifinal on the line, the two went back-and-forth – just one break point between them – to force a final set breaker, which Anderson had won over Carreno Busta two weeks ago at Indian Wells.
And the South African was in control early with a mini-break, but failed to capitalize serving 6-5. Carreno Busta got it back and served it out, dropping Anderson to 0-10 in Masters quarterfinals.
“It was an amazing match, no? I lost to him, 7-6 in the third set [at Indian Wells]. And today, well, at the beginning of the match I started playing really good, returning good, serving good, being very aggressive,” Carreno Busta said. “I am very happy with the victory, because it’s very important to me… and also to be in the semi-finals in this tournament.”
In the spot of Roger Federer quarter, Carreno Busta and Zverev have never played before. Carreno Busta has never been to a Masters final or beaten a Top 5 player. Zverev is in his first final since winning Canada.
In the afternoon, Juan Martin del Potro will try to reach his third straight final against serving giant John Isner. It’s their 10th meeting with del Potro ahead 6-3. The Argentine has won his last 15 matches.
All four players are trying to reach their first Miami final.
FRIDAY MIAMI SCHEDULE
STADIUM start 1:00 pm
ATP – [5] J. Del Potro (ARG) vs [14] J. Isner (USA)
WTA – E. Mertens (BEL) / D. Schuurs (NED) vs [6] B. Krejcikova (CZE) / K. Siniakova (CZE)
7:00 pm
ATP – [16] P. Carreno Busta (ESP) vs [4] A. Zverev (GER)
WTA – [1] E. Makarova (RUS) / E. Vesnina (RUS) vs A. Barty (AUS) / C. Vandeweghe (USA)
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