Miami - Day 5 ATP third round start

It’s Day Five in the Miami Open - round three matches in the ATP and WTA draws.

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 third round 

• Albert Ramos-Vinolas v John Isner (7)

The pair had met twice before, each time on clay.  The matches both went the distance, five of the six sets decided in tie breaks.

Isner won the Rome Masters clash in 2017, but was beaten last year in the same tournament.

Defending champion Isner served first, and after a couple of errors, he was down 15-30.  Worse still following a Spanish forehand pass.  Two break points. Another American mistake and Ramos-Vinolas led 1-0.

From 30-0, the Spaniard slipped to facing a break point.  It vanished and serve was held.  2-0.

Isner registered on the scoreboard with a typical game, aces to start and end.  Errors from Ramos-Vinolas gave Isner two break back chances, and he cashed in on the second of these with a forehand winner.  2-2.

A service winner dismissed a break chance, and Isner was ahead 3-2.

Games went to serve and Ramos-Vinolas was required to continue the trend at 4-5 to stay in the set.  Although taken to deuce, serve was held and the set rolled on.

At 5-6, a pair of Ramos-Vinolas errors and an Isner backhand down the line screamer produced two set points.  A Spanish backhand into the net and Isner won the set 7-5.

In set two, the opening games were comfortably taken by the server.  It became more difficult in game four where Ramos-Vinolas had to negotiate a trip to deuce. Even more on the precipice was Isner in the following game.

The American double faulted and faced two break points.  An ace saved one.  A kicker saved the second.  A third break chance was dismissed with a forehand winner.  Serve was held, an ace sealing the game and Isner led 3-2.

With no more break point interruptions, a tie break eventuated.  

Points were on serve until Isner hit a backhand down the line to take a 4-2 lead.  At 5-3 with a serve to come, victory seemed close for the American, but he stuffed up a straight forward forehand and Ramos-Vinolas won that point and the next two to have a set point at 6-5.

Isner steadied with an ace, and a service winner brought him to 7-6 and his first match point, but on the Spanish serve.

Ramos-Vinolas hit the net with a forehand and John Isner was triumphant 7-5 7-6(6).

• Roberto Bautista Agut (22) defeated Fabio Fognini (15) 6-4 6-4
• Kyle Edmund (19) defeated Milos Raonic (12) 6-4 6-4
• Nikoloz Basilashvili (17) defeated Robin Haase 7-6(3) 6-3
• Qualifier Felix Auger-Aliassime defeated Hubert Hurkacz 7-6(5) 6-4
• Novak Djokovic (1) defeated Federico Delbonis 7-5 4-6 6-1
• Nick Kyrgios (27) defeated Dusan Lajovic 6-3 6-1
• Borna Coric (11) defeated Jérémy Chardy 6-7(2) 6-2 6-3