While Djokovic crusied Roger Federer was forced to postpone his return from knee surgery because of a stomach virus.
Advertisement
The big hole on Novak Djokovic’s resume remains the French Open. I felt like I have been coming closer and closer to the title in the last couple of years. He’s playing Key Biscayne for the 16th time, although he did skip the tournament past year.
Federer’s return will now likely be on clay next month at Monte Carlo. He was replaced in the Key Biscayne draw by lucky loser Horacio Zeballos, who defeated Juan Martin del Potro 6-4, 6-4.
American 18-year-old Taylor Fritz held two set points in the opening set but lost to eighth seed David Ferrer 7-6 (8-6) 6-1.
Diminutive Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka accounted for Lopez, the highest of the three seeds at 21, with a 6-4 6-4 win and faces 14th seed Dominic Thiem, a 7-5 6-2 victor over Sam Groth, in the next stage.
“I think in order to get yourself in match-ready situation, you need to play matches on that surface before, at least two tournaments, strong tournaments”.
Novak Djokovic made a winning return to action at the Miami Open after a week dominated by off-court matters. I still haven’t won that Grand Slam played on clay courts, but I have gotten very close a couple of times, and I know that it doesn’t take too much more to win the trophy. He has battled troublesome knees for years, and perhaps the grind of the tour has taken an irreversible toll.
Moore, a former South African tennis star, quit under heavy fire on Monday after he said women players owe their success to men, sparking a furious gender row that has divided the sport. “I feel with the right energy”. So does his 30th birthday, but Nadal doesn’t sound as though he’s nearing retirement. I am for equality in the sport.
Advertisement
“In my next life when I come back I want to be someone in the WTA, because they ride on the coattails of the men”, Moore had told reporters, referring to the organisation that runs the women’s game.
