Djokovic shakes off spill to overcome Sousa
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FIVE-TIME champion Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set spill to beat unseeded Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-4, 6-1 in the third round at the Miami Open in Florida on Sunday.
The world No. 1 fell on his left side while hitting a forehand on the baseline and his shot went into the net to allow Sousa to pull even at 4-4.
But Djokovic was not injured and he dusted himself off.
He went on to win eight out of the next nine games in a match that lasted 77 minutes.
The Serb is vying to match Andre Agassi’s tournament record of six wins in Key Biscayne.
“That first set came down to a few points,” said Djokovic after improving to 24-1 in 2016.
“After that, it was quite a good performance.
“In the second set I felt much more comfortable. I was serving very well the entire day.
“I’m glad that I managed to finish the match the way I did. Obviously, it gives me confidence for the next one.”
Djokovic landed 86 percent of first serves in the second set and dropped only three points on serve. He will meet Dominic Thiem in the next round after the Austrian defeated Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 6-2.
Argentine lucky loser Horacio Zeballos, who received a second chance when Roger Federer withdrew because of a stomach virus, continued to make the most of his good fortune.
He rebounded to beat Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 1-6, 6-4, 7-6(4).
Zeballos’ wife, Sofia, is back in Argentina monitoring his matches while awaiting the birth of their child due on April 10. “During the third set, all of a sudden I started thinking, ‘I hope she’s not nervous,’” Zeballos said in Spanish.
“It was crazy for me to be having those thoughts during the match. I am having a great time here, but I also want the baby to be born already and experience that moment of becoming a father.
Hoping she can hang on a few more days.”
Zeballos said he will pull out of the tournament if his child is born while he’s still contending.
On the women’s side, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka overcame five double-faults and held every service game to beat qualifier Magda Linette 6-3, 6-0. Azarenka, seeded 13th, moved into the fourth round and is bidding to become only the third woman to win Indian Wells and Miami back to back.
Floridian Madison Keys, seeded No. 22, reached the round of 16 for the first time in seven tournament appearances by beating No. 9 Roberta Vinci 6-4, 6-4. Keys won 19 of 21 points at the net.
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