Miami Open Masters 2016 Results: Scores, Bracket and Schedule After Wednesday
With the BNP Paribas Open firmly in the rearview mirror for the tennis world, the focus now shifts to Key Biscayne, Florida, for the 2016 Miami Open.
While none of the world's best players were in action during Wednesday's first-round play, fans were treated to some of the sport's next generation, in addition to a few former Grand Slam finalists.
Here's a brief look at some of Wednesday's most high-profile clashes. The tournament's updated draw can be viewed here, courtesy of the Miami Open's official website.
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Men's Singles Recap
| Inigo Cervantes def. Andrey Rublev | 6-4, 6-2 |
| Kyle Edmund def. Jiri Vesely | 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(6) |
| Marcel Granollers def. Bjorn Fratangelo | 6-3, 7-5 |
| Sam Groth def. Victor Estrella Burgos | 6-3, 6-2 |
| Dusan Lajovic def. Dennis Novikov | 6-1, 7-6(5) |
| Yoshihito Nishioka def. Jared Donaldson | 6-3, 6-4 |
| Vasek Pospisil def. Diego Schwartzman | 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4) |
| Lucas Pouille def. Teymuraz Gabashvili | 7-5, 6-3 |
| Rajeev Ram def. Evgeny Donskoy | 7-5, 7-6(7) |
| Albert Ramos-Vinolas def. Alejandro Gonzalez | 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(3) |
| Fernando Verdasco def. Gilles Muller | 7-6(2), 6-3 |
| Mikhail Youzhny def. Ernests Gulbis | 6-4, 6-2 |
| Alexander Zverev def. Michael Mmoh | 7-6(3), 7-6(4) |
| Taylor Fritz def. Simone Bolelli | 6-4, 6-2 |
| Juan Martin Del Potro def. Guido Pella | 6-0, 7-6(4) |
A number of eyes were drawn toward 18-year-old Alexander Zverev in Miami. Zverev was match point away from eliminating Rafael Nadal in the fourth round of the BNP Paribas Open. While Nadal ended up winning in three sets, the young German made a major splash all the same.
On Wednesday, Zverev had a more favorable opponent in American wild-card Michael Mmoh. He needed two tiebreakers to put Mmoh away but did so in straight sets, 7-6(3), 7-6(4). Both players served well, with Zverev winning 75 percent of his first-service points and 59 percent of his second-service points. Mmoh was at 82 percent and 37 percent, respectively.
"Today, with the changes in conditions compared to Indian Wells, it wasn’t easy to play the best tennis of my life," said Zverev, per the ATP World Tour's official site. "But I got through it, and I’m happy to be in the second round. I always knew Michael is a great player. He has a huge serve and he knows the conditions perfectly since he practices here."
Former top-10 players Mikhail Youzhny and Fernando Verdasco were also in action, and the pair advanced in straight sets. Verdasco dispatched of Gilles Muller, while Youzhny beat Ernests Gulbis.
While Thursday didn't boast much in the way of star power on the men's side, the tournament will start heating up as it reaches the later stages.
Women's Singles Recap
| Irina Falconi def. Francesca Schiavone | 7-5, 6-1 |
| Carina Witthoeft def. Aliaksandra Sasnovich | 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 |
| Vania King def. Lourdes Dominguez Lino | 6-4, 6-4 |
| Elena Vesnina def. Jana Cepelova | 7-5, 6-3 |
| Christina McHale def. Misaki Doi | 6-2, 4-6, 7-5 |
| Caroline Garcia def. Caroline Garcia | 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 |
| Lucie Hradecka def. Eugenie Bouchard | 6-4, 3-6, 6-2 |
| Irina-Camelia Begu def. Maria Sakkari | 6-1, 6-3 |
| Kristyna Pliskova def. Paula Badosa Gibert | 6-3, 6-3 |
| Dominika Cibulkova def. Johanna Larsson | 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 |
| Coco Vandeweghe def. Samantha Crawford | 6-4, 7-5 |
| Julia Goerges def. Nao Hibino | 7-6(6), 6-4 |
| Heather Watson def. Petra Cetkovska | 6-1, 6-0 |
| Timea Babos def. Anna Tatishvili | 7-6(2), 6-2 |
| Kiki Bertens def. Saisai Zheng | 6-3, 6-2 |
| Yanina Wickmayer def. Karin Knapp | 6-2, 6-1 |
| Alize Cornet def. Galina Voskoboeva | 6-4, 7-5 |
| Magda Linette def. Bethanie Mattek-Sands | 6-4, 6-7(9), 6-3 |
| Caroline Garcia def. Mirjana Lucic-Baroni | 2-6, 6-1, 6-3 |
Eugenie Bouchard suffered another disappointment in what has already been a rough start to the 2016 season after falling to Lucie Hradecka in three sets. Journalist Andrew Jerell Jones believes this is becoming a trend for the young Canadian:
"Bouchard facing her usual dilemma of a player as aggressive as her but who is more naturally powerful & out hitting her, like Hradecka.
— Andrew Jerell Jones (@sluggahjells) March 23, 2016"
Bouchard has never been able to recapture the magic she displayed in 2014, when she reached the Australian Open and French Open semifinals and then the final at Wimbledon. Still only 22, it's far too early to give up on her altogether. But she clearly needs to do something to arrest her current slide.
Meanwhile, this is Hradecka's biggest win of the season, at least as a singles player.
"I'm so happy," she said after the win, per the WTA's official site. "It was definitely a tough match. I started very well, and then at the end of the first set, I started to be a little more nervy and tight."
It wasn't a great day for former Grand Slam finalists after Francesca Schiavone lost to Irina Falconi 7-5, 6-1. The two combined to allow 23 break-point opportunities, while Falconi committed four double-faults. Still, she won 70 percent of her first-service points compared to 48 percent for Schiavone, which proved to be a big difference in the match.
2014 Australian Open runner-up Dominika Cibulkova managed to do what Bouchard and Schiavone couldn't: win. Cibulkova dropped the first set but recovered well and breezed past Johanna Larsson in the second, via the WTA:
Larsson put up a tough fight in the third, forcing eight break-point opportunities. Cibulkova saved all eight, though, to earn passage to the second round.
Thursday Schedule
| Stadium | ||
| 11 a.m. | Andreas Seppi vs. Donald Young | Men's Singles |
| ---- | Borna Coric vs. Denis Istomin | Men's Singles |
| ---- | Heather Watson vs. Sloane Stephens [20] | Women's Singles |
| Not Before 5 p.m. | Serena Williams [1] vs. Christina McHale | Women's Singles |
| Not Before 7:30 p.m. | Daria Kasatkina vs. Simona Halep [5] | Women's Singles |
| Not Before 9 p.m. | Marcos Baghdatis vs. Benjamin Becker | Men's Singles |
| Grandstand | ||
| 10:50 a.m. | Irina Falconi vs. Petra Kvitova [8] | Women's Singles |
| ---- | Tommy Paul vs. Tim Smyczek | Men's Singles |
| ---- | Paul-Henri Mathieu vs. Santiago Giraldo | Men's Singles |
| Not Before 3 p.m. | Rafael Nadal/Fernando Verdasco vs. Simone Bolelli/Andreas Seppi | Men's Doubles |
| Not Before 5 p.m. | Elias Ymer vs. Federico Delbonis | Men's Singles |
The good news for Christina McHale is that she's through to the second round of the Miami Open after beating Misaki Doi on Wednesday. The bad news is she will face top-seeded Serena Williams in the second round.
It will be interesting to see how Williams performs in this tournament. She lost to Victoria Azarenka in the final of the BNP Paribas Open and in doing so, offered ammunition to her critics. Serena looked almost apathetic at times in both the semifinals and final and played far from her best tennis.
If that carries over to this tournament, an upset wouldn't be out of the question. Still, Williams can beat just about any other woman in the world even at 70 to 80 percent of her peak efficiency. Anything less than a comfortable win over McHale will be a surprise.
The No. 5 player in the world will also be in action Thursday when Simona Halep takes on Daria Kasatkina in one of the most intriguing clashes of the day. Only 18 years old, Kasatkina is already the 36th-ranked player in the world in the most recent WTA rankings.
She also reached the quarterfinals of the BNP Paribas Open, losing to Karolina Pliskova. Much in the way Zverev's profile grew in defeat to Nadal, even a loss to Halep could be a nice showcase for Kasatkina, who is one of the emerging stars in the WTA.
Note: Thursday's entire order of play is available on the Miami Open's official website.
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