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Peerless Federer beats Del Potro, Wawrinka through

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MIAMI: Roger Federer produced another dazzling performance on Monday, easing past Juan Martin del Potro in the third round at the Miami Open.


Federer wowed a boisterous, capacity crowd at Crandon Park, winning 6-3, 6-4 in just over 80 minutes of nearly flawless tennis.


Former US Open champion Del Potro, buoyed by a large Argentine contingent who did their best to lift him with regular chants of ‘ole, ole, ole’, did not submit easily but one break in each set was enough for Federer to move on to the fourth round.


“Shortly before I walked to the court, you could sense the atmosphere,” Federer told the Miami Herald. “I think if the match would have gone three sets or tie-breakers or something even closer, it would have been really epic.”


Federer improved his career record against del Potro to 16-5, the Swiss closing out the match in style with a forehand winner before acknowledging the roaring crowd. The 35-year-old, who missed the second half of 2016 with a knee injury, has lost only once this year, to Russian Evgeny Donskoy in early February.


Next up for Federer is Spanish 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, who overcame a slow start to outlast American 22nd seed Sam Querrey 3-6, 6-2, 6-3.


Czech 10th seed Tomas Berdych beat 24th seed Gilles Muller of Luxembourg 6-3, 6-4, while Adrian Mannarino of France edged Croatian Borna Coric 6-4, 2-6, 7-6(3).


In late matches, top seed Stan Wawrinka beat Malek Jaziri 6-3, 6-4 as he tries to capture his first tournament of the year. Wawrinka will face German Alexander Zverev after the 19-year-old beat American John Isner 6-7(5), 7-6(7), 7-6(5) in a thriller. Isner served 28 aces but still came up short.


Nick Kyrgios came out on top after a battle with Ivo Karlovic, the Australian winning 6-4, 6-7(4), 7-6(2) to set up a meeting with eighth seed David Goffin, who beat Diego Schwartzman 4-6, 6-3, 7-5. — Reuters


Miami Open results


Men (third round): Stan Wawrinka (SUI x1) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-3, 6-4; Alexander Zverev (GER) bt John Isner (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5); Nick Kyrgios (AUS x12) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO x17) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2); David Goffin (BEL x8) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5; Roger Federer (SUI x4) bt Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x29) 6-3, 6-4; Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x14) bt Sam Querrey (USA x22) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3; Tomas Berdych (CZE x10) bt Gilles Muller (LUX x24) 6-3, 6-4; Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/3)


Women (fourth round): Angelique Kerber (GER x1) bt Risa Ozaki (JPN) 6-2, 6-2; Venus Williams (USA x11) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x7) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4); Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS x14) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2; Johanna Konta (GBR x10) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 7-5, 6-1; Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x12) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x6) 7-6 (7/1), retired, illness; Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x4) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1; Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO x26) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 7-5, 6-4; Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE x15) 6-1, 6-4


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