Former top 10 Goffin, Schwartzman, Bautista Agut play the Miami Open Men’s Qualifying

by Daniel Perisse

What do David Goffin, Diego Schwartzman, and Roberto Bautista Agut have in common? Besides the fact that all three have been in the Top 10 at the ATP Singles Ranking, they will have to face the Miami Open Men’s Qualifying to have a chance to get back to where they once triumphed.

A semifinalist in 2016 in Miami and having climbed to World No. 7 the following year, Goffin currently appears as No. 112 on the men’s list. With six ATP Tour titles in his tally, the Belgian faces Japanese 20-year-old Shintaro Mochizuki in the first round on the second match scheduled for Court 3 Monday.

A fan favorite due to the Argentinian crowds that come to the tournament at the Hard Rock Stadium, Schwartzman reached the World No. 8 spot in 2020. In his best campaign here, he went as far as the round of 16 in eight appearances, most recently in 2021.

Currently ranked as the world’s No. 117, he will play San Diego, Calif. native Zachary Svajda in the last match of the day at the Butch Buchholz Court.

Bautista Agut reached the Miami Open semifinals in 2021, and had wins against Novak Djokovic (2019) and Daniil Medvedev (2021) in the Magic City. The Spaniard is a former World No. 9.

Bautista Agut’s first opponent will be Benjamin Hassan from Germany. He wraps up the order of play at Court 1.

Eight Americans will take part in the qualifying: besides Svajda, Emilio Nava, from West Hills, Calif., will take on France’s Quentin Halys.

There will be other three matches between American players: Aleksandar Kovacevic, from New York City, plays Durham, N.C., native Patrick Kypson, while Brandon Nakashima, also from San Diego, faces Michael Mmoh, a Bradenton, Fla., resident, and J. J. Wolf from Indian Hill, Ohio, clashes against Wild Card Eliot Spizzirri, from Stamford, Conn.

One week after taking out Novak Djokovic from Indian Wells, Italy’s Luca Nardi will play in the qualifying draw here in Miami, against Czech Jakub Mensik. Their match will be the last one on Grandstand.

Pera, Townsend one step closer to reaching women’s main draw

Americans Bernarda Pera and Taylor Townsend, among other players, have advanced into the second and last round of the Women’s Qualifying draw after winning their matches this Sunday.

Chicago native Townsend defeated Brazilian Laura Pigossi 6-4, 6-4, and will now face former University of Michigan standout Emina Bektas, who cruised past Spaniard Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-3, 6-1.

On her turn, Pera prevailed over Wild Card Sayaka Ishii from Japan 6-0, 6-4. Her next opponent will be Aleksandra Krunic from Serbia, who defeated Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-1, 7-6(4).

The American has fond memories about Krunic: besides leading the head-to-head 3-0, the last time she beat the Serbian was at the Budapest 2022 final when she won her first WTA-level title. The rematch opens the Grandstand slate Monday at 11 am.

On Court 2, Germany’s Laura Siegemund did not drop a game against American Wild Card Robin Montgomery, 6-0, 6-0, in one hour and 16 minutes. Her next rival is Darja Semenistaja, from Latvia.

Yanina Wickmayer, a 2009 US Open semifinalist, had no issues advancing into the second qualifying round by defeating Atlanta native Alycia Parks 6-4, 6-4.

The Women’s Qualifying second-round and Men’s first-round matches start at 11 am. Download the order of play for tomorrow and get your grounds pass tickets here.