Raonic makes winning return, Nadal and Nishikori advance
Big-serving Canadian Milos Raonic made a strong return to competition on Friday by beating Viktor Troicki 6-3, 7-5 to reach the third round of the Miami Open.
Joining the Canadian in the third round were Spanish fifth seed Rafa Nadal and Japanese second seed Kei Nishikori.
Nadal advanced past Israeli Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4, taking the critical second-set break in the seventh game, while Nishikori cut down South African Kevin Anderson 6-4, 6-3.
Third seed Raonic has been sidelined by a right leg injury that forced him to concede a walkover in the Delray Beach Open final last month and to withdraw from the Mexican Open and BNP Paribas Open.
“I have to be very happy with just the outcome, that I was able to get the win today, that I have another chance to play in two days,” said the world number five.
VESNINA STUNNED
Venus Williams overcame windy weather and an unfamiliar opponent in Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia to reach the third round of the Miami Open on Friday.
After rain delays pushed her match well into the night, threetime champion Williams moved past her 20-year-old challenger 6-4, 6-3.
The biggest upset of the day came when Elena Vesnina, fresh off her victory at Indian Wells, suffered a stunning 3-6, 6-4, 7-5 loss to world number 594 Ajla Tomljanovic.