Murray Outlasts Berrettini, Osaka Advances At Miami Masters; Nishikori, Rybakina Thurs.
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The match of the day lived up to the hype Wednesday at the Miami Masters as 2-time tournament champion Andy Murray outlasted Matteo Berrettini 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 in two hours, 48 minutes to advance to the second round.
Playing in his first tour-level match since the US Open, Berrettini had taken the opener behind his booming serve back late in the second nearly fell over while trying to serve due to a bout of dizziness. After an assessment by the doctor, Berrettini continued but really couldn’t offer much against Murray in the decider.
“It was obviously a great win for me,” said Murray. “I started off a little bit slow, but I do think I played pretty well from the middle of the first set until the end of the match. I created a lot of opportunities and he was struggling for a little bit at the end of the second and beginning of the third. I capitalized on that and got off to a quick start in the third. I served it out well in the end.”
Murray moves on toface Tomas Martin Etcheverry on Friday.
Also on opening day of the men’s draw, American youngsters Alex Michelson and Martin Damm, Jr. advanced while 16-year-old Darwin Blanch fell to Tomas Machac in straight sets.
In the women’s draw, local favorite and former champion Sloane Stephens ousted Angelique Kerber 6-2, 6-3. For Stephens it was a great win on her 31st birthday!
Naomi Osaka scored a good win over Italian Elisabetta Cocciaretto 6-3, 6-4 and Donna Vekic downed Karolina Pliskova in three sets.
“Honestly, this is probably the most free that I was able to hit my balls, like, the closest to the feeling I want to capture going forward,” Osaka said. “I would say this is probably my best match in terms of shot-making. I felt like the balls I wanted to hit were there. I’m pretty happy with this one.”
On Thursday, the men finish their first round with Felix Auger-Aliassime, Gael Monfils and Kei Nishikori headlining. The oft-injured Nishikori makes his return to tennis for the first time since Atlanta last summer.
The women’s begin their second round with Caroline Wozniacki meeting Alina Kalinina. 2023 finalist Elena Rybakina, Maria Sakkari are also in action and 2009 winner Victoria Azarenka takes on spunky American Peyton Stearns.
THURSDAY MIAMI MASTERS SCHEDULE
Stadium – 12pm
Felix Auger-Aliassime vs (Q) Adam Walton
1:00 p.m.
(8) Maria Sakkari vs Yuan Yue
Diana Shnaider vs (17) Madison Keys
7:00 p.m.
Dusan Lajovic vs Gael Monfils
8:30 p.m.
(Q) Clara Tauson vs (4) Elena Rybakina
Grandstand – 11am
Diane Parry vs (11) Beatriz Haddad Maia
Sebastian Ofner vs (WC) Kei Nishikori
Lorenzo Sonego vs Dan Evans
(Q) Emilio Nava vs (Q) Roberto Bautista Agut
7:00 p.m.
Peyton Stearns vs (27) Victoria Azarenka
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