Eighteen-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer beat American teenager Frances Tiafoe to enter the round of 32 in his first match at the Miami Open on Saturday after three years. Federer beat the 19-year-old qualifier 7-6 (2), 6-3 to take his 2017 record to 14 wins and one loss.
“I’ve hit with Frances maybe twice before,” said Federer to BBC. “I saw the power he had, the explosivity he had, how he easily can generate pace. He seemed to be fearless, good serving, taking the ball early and making the plays. What I like to see is when a younger player comes out and really feels he has nothing to lose and only has stuff to gain.”
Top seed Stan Wawrinka also beat Argentina’s Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-4 to enter the round of 32. “It’s quite tough conditions, raining and really windy today,” said Wawrinka. “It’s really windy on the court, so it’s never easy. I’m happy with the way I was moving, the way I was playing and my attitude in general was really positive, so it’s a great match.”
Belgian eighth seed David Goffin beat Darian King of Barbados 7-5, 6-1 while Czech 10th seed Berdych defeated Russia’s Andrey Rublev 6-3, 6-2.
In the women’s draw fifth seed Agnieszka Radwanska was thrashed 0-6, 3-6 by Mirjana Lucic-Baroni. Spanish sixth seed Garbine Muguruza came through a tough test to defeat China’s Zhang Shuai 4-6, 6-2, 6-2. Second-seed Karolina Pliskova fought past Yulia Putintseva of Kazakhstan 7-5, 6-3 to move into the last 16.
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