Miami Open sees wins from Swiatek, Medvedev, Sinner, and Gauff, but bids farewell to Murray

by Daniel Perisse

An action-packed Sunday of tennis concluded a successful middle weekend at the 2024 Miami Open, featuring not only wins from Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, and Daniil Medvedev but also the last act of former World No. 1 Andy Murray, who but up fantastic fight in what will be his final match in the Magic City.

Inside a packed Court Butch Buchholz, the former World No. 1, two-time Olympic gold medalist, and two-time Miami Open champion lost to Czech Tomas Machac 5-7 7-5 7-6(5) in what was his last appearance at this tournament, according to his own words.

The match lasted 3 hours and 28 minutes, including a medical timeout at the end of the third set after Murray twisted an ankle while he was running to the net.

Despite all the pain, the Scotsman went back on the court and still forced a deciding tie-break. He was up ahead 4-2, but the Czech came back and won 7-5.

Machac now plays Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, who defeated Canadian Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 7-6(7).

Things were not also that easy for Jannik Sinner. After losing the first set, the Italian benefited from a rain delay to defeat Netherlands’ Talon Griekspoor, the No. 25 seed, 5-7, 7-5, 6-1.

Sinner had won the three previous matches but saw the Dutchman take control of the points and clinch the first set 7-5.

In the seventh game of the second set, the match had to be interrupted for approximately 40 minutes due to the rain. When both players returned, the Italian was more focused and was able to take the second set 7-5, with a decisive break in the end.

Sinner began the third set confirming his service and breaking the Dutch in the following game. Again, he held serve and had a 3-0 advantage. The World No. 3 broke Griekspoor again in the fifth game and then served for the match, clinching an important result.

“I had some chances also in the first set. He handled it better than I did. That was the way. In the second set, I tried to stay a little bit more aggressive. I also started feeling a little bit better. Then the rain came. After it changed a little bit. Happy with how I handled the situation on the court. Sometimes you must accept it somehow, which I’ve done. I just tried to stay mentally strong, and that’s it. In the next match, we see what’s coming. It’s for sure a tough one,” said the Italian.

Stadium play began with a great exhibition by Coco Gauff. The Delray Beach, Fla. native dropped only four games against French lucky loser Oceane Dodin 6-4, 6-0, and made her way into the round of 16.

The third seed had only seven unforced errors during the match and now challenges Caroline Garcia, the No. 23 seed, who overcame former World No. 1 Naomi Osaka 7-6(4), 7-5. The series between the French and the American is tied at 2-2.

With today’s win, Gauff ties her best performance at the Miami Open, as she also made the round of 16 in 2022.

“I think today I was just being aggressive towards her. She’s a big hitter. She likes the game on her terms. I was trying my best to get deep in the court and just weather the storm,” commented the 20-year-old, who is the youngest player from the United States to hold a top-three seed in Miami.

Gauff and Garcia play tomorrow at the Stadium, following the second match of the day session.

Opening this Sunday’s night session, Iga Swiatek came in to face Linda Noskova for the third time this season – the record was 1-1. The Polish began playing better, but the Czech came back and won the first set in the tie-break.

The second set was a hard one for Iga again, but she managed to win 6-4.

In the third set, the World No. 1 broke Noskova’s serve in the fifth game and held a crucial advantage to clinch the 6-4 win and keep the dream of her second Sunshine Double alive.

“I’m happy that I’m through to the next round. Yeah, for sure it wasn’t easy. There were just many ups and downs. Yeah, I’m happy that after the first set, I had a better idea of what to do, and I just tried to do that in important moments”, commented the Polish.

Next up for Iga is Ekaterina Alexandrova, the No. 14 seed, in the last match at the Stadium tomorrow, not before 8:30 pm. The Polish leads the head-to-head 3-1.

Closing the Stadium Sunday slate, Daniil Medvedev took on British Cameron Norrie. The defending Miami Open Champion won 7-5, 6-1.

Medvedev broke Norrie’s service twice in the initial set, in the first and third games, while Norrie responded by doing the same in the fourth and tenth, tying the score 5-5.

However, the World No. 4 broke again in the 11^th game and then confirmed his serve, securing the first set 7-5.

The second set started the same way, with Medvedev opening a 3-0 lead by breaking Norrie’s serve twice. But unlike earlier, the World No. 4 was able to hold serve right after that.

With a 5-1 lead, Medvedev broke Norrie for the third time in the second set to clinch the victory.

He will play Dominik Koepfer in the Round of 16. The unseeded German overpowered Frenchman Ugo Humbert, the No. 14 seed, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3.

On Grandstand, 21-year-old Ben Shelton defeated wild card Martin Landaluce from Spain 6-3, 6-4 and achieved his first career win at the Miami Open. The World No.16 is now 6-1 in opening rounds this season.

The former Florida Gators tennis star, who obtained the NCAA team title in 2021, and the NCAA singles the following year, won 79% of his 2^nd serve points and had seven aces.

His next opponent is Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti, the No. 23 seed, who prevailed over Roman Safiulin 7-5, 6-1.

Another young American who advanced this Sunday was Emma Navarro. The 22-year-old overcame Italian Jasmine Paolini, the No. 12 seed, 6-2, 3-6, 6-0, and picked up her 20^th win of the season.

Navarro, who is currently at her career-high ranking as World No. 20, will challenge her compatriot Jessica Pegula, the fifth seed.

Pegula had a hard time against No.31 seed Leilah Fernandez from Canada, especially at the beginning of the first set. She ended up with a 7-5, 6-1 win in what was their first meeting. The Boca Raton resident reached the Miami Open semifinals in 2022 and 2023.

Navarro and Pegula play tomorrow in the last match at the Grandstand, not before 7 pm.

On Court 1, No. 11 seed Grigor Dimitrov from Bulgaria lost the first set to Chilean Alejandro Tabilo 7-6(5), but won the following two 7-6(5), 6-2, to advance to the third round; and on Court Butch Buchholz, Australian Alex de Minaur, the ninth seed, defeated Soonwoo Kwon from the Republic of Korea 6-3, 6-2, in 1 hour and 17 minutes.

No. 7 seed Casper Ruud from Norway beat Spaniard Alejandro Davidvich Fokina 6-3, 6-4 on Grandstand. His next opponent will be Nicolas Jarry from Chile, who overcame Brazilian qualifier Thiago Seyboth Wild 6-7(1), 7-5, 6-3.

As for the upsets, today No. 6 Seed Holger Rune was stunned by Hungary’s Fabian Marozsan 6-1,6-1, in his first opening-round loss this season – was 5-0 until today.

This is the 24-year-old Hungarian’s fourth ATP Masters 1000 event. Also, it was his third win over a Top 10 player in his career: he had beaten No. 2 Alcaraz in Rome and No. 9 Ruud in Shanghai.

Monday’s slate also features the third-round clash between Carlos Alcaraz and Frenchman Gael Monfils, not before 7 pm at the Stadium. The 37-year-old and former World No. 6 halted Australia’s Jordan Thompson, the No. 33 seed, 6-7(3), 6-1, 6-2.

Alcaraz has a 1-0 record against Monfils – they played each other two years ago in Indian Wells, and the Spaniard won 7-5, 6-1.

“Gael is playing great tennis. He has beaten big guys this year. I must be ready,” said the Spaniard.

The Stadium day session slate also features the match between Alexander Zverev from Germany, the No. 4 seed, and American Christopher Eubanks; and 2023 Miami Open runner-up Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan facing Madison Keys, also from the US.

On Grandstand, Greek Maria Sakkari, the No. 8 seed, challenges Anna Kalinskaya at 11 am, and following that match De Minaur plays against German Jan-Lennard Struff. Later, 2021 champion Hubert Hurkacz, the eighth seed, will take on No. 23 Sebastian Korda, a Bradenton, Fla. native.

Monday matches start at 11 am on all courts but the Stadium, whose slate is scheduled to begin at noon. Please check the Miami Open website for more information about the order of play and the draws.