World No 1 Novak Djokovic advanced to the fourth round of the ATP and WTA Miami Open on Sunday, defeating Portugal’s 38th-ranked Joao Sousa 6-4, 6-1
Serbian Novak Djokovic plays a backhand against Joao Sousa of Portugal in their third-round match of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center in Florida on Sunday.
Miami: World No 1 Novak Djokovic advanced to the fourth round of the ATP and WTA Miami Open on Sunday, defeating Portugal’s 38th-ranked Joao Sousa 6-4, 6-1. Two-time defending champion Djokovic, trying to match Andre Agassi's record of six career Miami titles, needed only 78 minutes to win his 12th match in a row at the hardcourt event and 26th in his past 27 Miami starts.
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Serbian Novak Djokovic plays a backhand against Joao Sousa of Portugal in their third-round match of the Miami Open at Crandon Park Tennis Center in Florida on Sunday. pic/AFP
Hitting the right balls
“That first set could have gone either way,” Djokovic said. “I managed to hit the right balls at the right moment and make it to the finish.”
The 28-year-old Serbian, who won his 11th Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open two months ago, also has crowns at Doha and Indian Wells this year and hopes to complete the Miami-Indian Wells sweep for the third consecutive year.
Djokovic’s next foe will be Austrian 14th seed Dominic Thiem, who dispatched 124th-ranked Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2, 6-2 in 64 minutes.
Joao Sousa
“He has one of the most powerful baseline games in tennis,” Djokovic said of Thiem.
“He likes to construct his points, so, I will try and take away his time. He’s had one of the best years of his life. He’s beaten Nadal on clay. He’s one of the players in the next generation we should all look out for. I’m sure he wants to showcase all that he’s got in his arsenal but I will be sure to be ready for him,” Djokovic said.
Sousa fell to 0-3 against Djokovic and 1-21 against top-10 foes with his 19th such loss in a row since beating David Ferrer in Kuala Lumpur in 2013. “He came out with a clear game plan,” said Djokovic. “He wanted to take his chances. He did not have much to lose. It can be dangerous. I know the importance of stepping up a few levels and delivering my ‘A’ game.”
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