Miami – 1R

In the most interesting first round clash, met two American veterans: 31-year-old James Blake [173] and one year older Michael Russell [90]. It should have been a straight sets victory for the latter. He led 6-3, 5:3 serving for the match, Blake came back though and saved a match point on serve in the tie-break. In the 3rd set, Russell again had his chances, this time to get a double break – 3:1* (30-0). Blake survived after 2 hours 19 minutes 3-6, 7-6, 7-6 and it’s hard to believe, he has notched the first career win being close to lose a match in two different sets (his 208th tournament at the main level)!
In similar circumstances won his match Feliciano Lopez [41]. The Spaniard was two points away from defeat at 5:5 in the 2nd set tie-break against Richard Berankis [75], then rallied from a 0:3 deficit in the 3rd set, breaking his opponent three times in a row, despite hadn’t broken him even once before (4-6, 7-6, 6-3).
Juan Martin del Potro [51] is on a way to regain his lost position in the tennis world. He has confirmed very good form outplaying Ricardo Mello [79] 6-4, 6-4. “I served really well today, especially in the important moments,” claimed Del Potro who needed two service games to serve the match out, “At 5-4 in the second set, I closed the match with my serve. I [hit] great serves and I’m still working on that.” Del Potro has very tough draw in Miami, in the next round faces Philipp Kohlschreiber with whom played dramatic two-setter last week at Indian Wells. If Del Potro beats the German, in the third round will meet (probably) the No. 4 – Robin Soderling. Two very interesting matches in the prospect, a battle between Kohlschreiber and Soderling should be very interesting as well, they have intriguing H2H which has been already mentioned on my blog in a separate post.