Del Potro advances at Miami Open

JUAN Martin del Potro sent his devoted fans home happy on Tuesday by powering into the ATP Miami Open quarterfinals with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

Roared on by a partisan crowd, the 29-year-old Argentine recovered from 1-4 down in the first set to reel off nine games in a row on his way to a last-eight match with Canada’s Milos Raonic on Wednesday.

Del Potro’s welcome return to form and fitness saw him win the Indian Wells title and continue to impress at the last tournament in Key Biscayne before a move north to the NFL Miami Dolphins’ home stadium next year.

“Playing here they make it special for the South American players and I am trying to enjoy the last time playing in Key Biscayne,” Del Potro said. “I know many Argentine fans live here and are so close. I will miss them.”

Windy conditions hampered players all day and the former US Open champion took time to find his groove in his first meeting with 27th-ranked Krajinovic.

Raonic, who easily saw off Frenchman Jeremy Chardy 6-3, 6-4, lost to del Potro in the Indian Wells semifinals and will be eagerly seeking revenge.

Del Potro is the top seed remaining after second seed Marin Cilic was beaten 7-6 (7/0), 6-3 by American John Isner.

The Croatian’s run was halted by big-serving Isner in just 87 minutes to set up a last-eight meeting with South Korean 19th seed Chung Hyeon.

Kyrgios bows out

In the late match, impressive Alexander Zverev, the fourth seed, powered past an out-ofsorts Nick Kyrgios 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting with Croatian Borna Coric in the last eight.

Australian firebrand Kyrgios has been struggling with an elbow injury and Zverev’s power and precision was simply too hot to handle as the German reached the quarterfinals for the second year in succession.

It was a disappointing end for Kyrgios, who brought the crowd to their feet with his energetic, wild strokeplay yet couldn’t maintain his level consistently enough to deal with Zverev’s all-round game.

Coric beat Argentina’s Leonardo Mayer 7-6 (7/2), 4-6, 6-4 in a battling triumph.

South Africa’s Kevin Anderson saw off American youngster Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/3), 6-4 and will play Spain’s Pablo Carreno-Busta who dispatched fellow countryman Fernando Verdasco 6-0, 6-3.