Miami - Day 8 Isner defence still alive

It’s Day Eight in the Miami Open - the first ATP quarter finals and last of the WTA quarter finals.

Miami Open presented by Itaú - an ATP Masters 1000 category tournament, on Hard Layklold, in Miami, Florida, USA, 20-31 March 2019.

Defending champion:

John Isner (14) who defeated Alexander Zverev (4) 6-7(4) 6-4 6-

ATP round of sixteen 

• Roger Federer (4) defeated Daniil Medvedev (13) 6-4 6-2

ATP quarter finals

• Roberto Bautista Agut (22) v John Isner (7)

Defending champion Isner was up against a confident Bautista Agut, fresh off a fantastic win over Djokovic.

The pair had played each other three times before, but a while ago, Isner winning in Beijing 2013 and Auckland 2014, and Bautista Agut in Auckland 2016.

Isner served first and began with an ace - no surprise.  Three more of those and an easy hold.  Bautista Agut surrendered just one point and a backhand winner was his highlight. 1-1.

Game three presented the first problem on serve, and it was the Spaniard who needed to deal with it.  After leading 40-15,  there came a double fault, a long forehand,  a wide forehand and break point.  A long rally ended with an Isner volley finding the net and Bautista Agut held on for 2-2.

Isner was taken to deuce in games nine and eleven, but neither player faced a break point for the remainder of the set, meaning a tie break.

Isner put away a forehand to achieve a mini break.  From 2-1,  it was a procession for Isner.  He won all his points on serve, and a forehand winner on the Bautista Agut serve at 4-1,  plus a double fault at 1-5, gave Isner five set points.  An ace and opening set to the American 7-6(1).

Neither was taken to deuce through eight games of set two, but Bautista Agut saved two break points en route to a 5-4 lead.  Isner, in turn, saved a set point when serving at 5-6, and a second tie break arrived.

Bautista Agut jumped out to a 3-0 advantage, winning both points on Isner’s opening serves.  The defending champion claimed both of those mini breaks back and the pair remained on serve through to 6-5, Isner with match point and Bautista Agut at the line.  The Spaniard hit a forehand into the net and John Isner won 7-6(1) 7-6(5)

• Qualifier Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Borna Coric (11) 7-6(3) 6-2