Men’s Singles Qualifying: Paire, Garin, Meligeni Alves into Main Draw
03.21.23
Laura Siegemund wins her third WTA match in 4 days… and gets a break
by Daniel Perisse
Miami Gardens, FL (March 21, 2023) – All Men’s Singles qualifying matches were concluded this Tuesday, March 21, with Frenchman Benoit Paire, Chilean Christian Garin and Masters-1000 newcomer Felipe Meligeni Alves from Brazil securing a spot into the main draw. In the Women’s Singles, Laura Siegemund finally got a break from her tennis marathon after winning her first-round main draw match.
Benoit Paire needed two hours and 16 minutes to beat Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis 6-4, 4-6, 7-5. His first-round opponent in the main draw will be Japan’s Yosuki Watanuke, another qualifier. If he advances, his next opponent will be No.12 seed Frances Tiafoe.
Kokkinakis also moved to the main draw, as a lucky loser, and faces Wild Card Zizou Bergs, from Belgium.
Elsewhere, Cristian Garin defeated Alejandro Tabilo in an all-Chilean clash, 7-6(5), 6-1. Currently ranked at World No. 97, his main draw rival is Thousand Oaks, Calif. native Marcos Giron, who is placed at No.71.
A great upset came from Brazil’s Felipe Meligeni Alves. The World No. 164 needed one hour and 40 minutes to defeat Kazakhstan’s Timofey Skatov, 6-4, 7-6(5), and will make his ATP-Tour level debut in a Masters 1000 – he has never played in the main draw in a 250 or 500 tournament.
Meligeni Alves plays Argentina’s Facundo Bagnis in the first round tomorrow and will face World No.1 Carlos Alcaraz if he advances.
No. 1 seed Nuno Borges got his third win in three days after a three-setter against Croatia’s Borna Gojo, 6-4, (6)6-7, 7-6(6). The 26-year-old from Portugal won last week’s Challenger event in Phoenix, clinching the title in three sets in the final that began at 5 p.m. ET Sunday. He landed in Miami after 9 a.m. Monday morning and was on court around 4:30 p.m. where he earned a straight-sets first-round win in just over one hour, and today won again.
However, Borges won’t have much time to breath, as he is back on court tomorrow against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori, his Men’s Singles first-round rival.
On the other hand, who will finally enjoy a day off will be Laura Siegemund. Today, she completed her fourth match in straight days defeating Egypt’s Mayar Sharif 6-3, 6-4. The German comes from a marathon of matches, including a doubles final in Indian Wells and two Miami Open qualifiers.
Speaking of long matches, Camila Giorgi needed three hours and 30 minutes to overcome Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in three tie-breaks, 7-6(4), (4)6-7, 7-6(4). The Italian plays No. 14 Victoria Azarenka, who won the Miami Open in 2011 and 2016.
Tomorrow’s schedule features past Grand Slam Champions Andy Murray, Bianca Andreescu and Emma Raducanu, among others.
You can find the full draws and results here.
Download the order of play for tomorrow and get your tickets here.