Kyrgios enters 4th round

Miami, March 27: Seventime grand slam winner Venus Williams exacted revenge on reigning Miami Open champion Johanna Konta on Monday with a superlative display to book her place in the quarter- finals.

In a repeat of last year’s semi- final — which was won by British number one Konta — it was the 37year- old American who showed no signs of fatigue to power home 5- 7, 6- 1, 6- 2 in two hours and 19 minutes.

The three- time Key Biscayne champion now faces either Monica Puig or American Danielle Collins.

It was an impressive display by the veteran Williams who seemed puzzled when quizzed about her longevity.

Williams also had to work hard in a three- hour battle on Sunday for her passage into the fourth round, fighting off three match points before eventually seeing off Kiki Bertens.

It was the Briton who started the more assuredly on Monday. Konta broke the Williams straight away to set down an early marker in their first meeting since the semi- finals at Wimbledon last summer which resulted in home heartbreak for the 26- year old.

Williams faced more breakpoints in the third although this time the danger was averted, thanks to some powerful serves.

Just when the erratic Konta needed to put her foot on the accelerator, it was William who responded superbly to put her opponent firmly on the backfoot.

Indeed, Konta’s game seemed to totally desert her. She hit just one winner in the second set as the American began to dominate and send the encounter into a decider.

Meanwhile, Other winners included American Danielle Collins defeating Monica Puig of Puerto Rico 3- 6, 6- 4, 6- 2 and Jelena Ostapenko topping Petra Kvitova 7- 6 ( 4), 6- 3.

SEEDS TUMBLE Sloane Stephens powered past world number three Garbine Muguruza as the seeds continued to fall at the Miami Open.

Stephens dominated Spain’s reigning Wimbledon champion Muguruza to record a 6- 3 6- 4 win and advance to the quarter- finals. — AFP Miami, March 27: Nick Kyrgios moved into the fourth round of the Miami Open despite admitting he’s lacking the match fitness to properly compete for the title.

Kyrgios arrived in south Florida having not played for two months thanks to a troublesome elbow injury which forced him to withdraw from tournaments in Rotterdam, Delray Beach, Acapulco and Indian Wells in recent weeks.

His 6- 3, 6- 3 victory here Monday against the Italian world no. 18 Fabio Fognini certainly suggested a return to peak form is attainable.

The Australian took just 29 minutes to win the first set and although Fognini battled hard in the second, it wasn’t enough to stop the 22 year- old who was powerfully crashing the ball around the court from all angles.

Yet afterwards Kyrgios insisted his injury problems are refusing to go away.

Kyrgios was serving and hitting powerfully, a sure Miami, March 27: Fernando Verdasco got into a Twitter spat with Australian Nick Kyrgios on Monday over a since- deleted post in which the latter expressed his desire for the Spaniard to lose his third round match at the Miami Open.

Verdasco, the 31st seed, became annoyed during his 3- 6, 6- 4, 7- 6 ( 4) win over Thanasi Kokkinakis and even argued with the Australian qualifier in the deciding set when he accused his opponent’s father of talking during his serves.

Kyrgios, took to Twitter to weigh in on the happenings at Crandon Park in Key Biscayne, Florida.

“I hope TK wins this match, Verdasco is the saltiest dude, must be frustrated at his past success against Aussies,” Kyrgios wrote in a Twitter post he has since deleted.

Verdasco, who could face Krygios in the Miami semi- finals, felt the need to respond after his nearly three- hour match and wrote, “when you have the courage to put a tweet insulting another player you need to have the same to don’t delete it.”

sign that the elbow problem which has hampered him so far in 2018 seems to be on the mend.

With the likes Murray and Wawrinka still injuries and Andy Stan out with Novak of Djokovic desperately trying to return from a persistent elbow problem, Kyrgios isn’t alone when it comes to playing through the pain barrier.

Kyrgios began the match confidently, getting an early break to storm to a 30 lead.

Fognini was cutting a frustrated figure in the afternoon sun, his inability to make inroads into the rapid fire Kyrgios’ serve causing the 30- year old to angrily lay bare his frustrations on more than one occasion.

The Australian, however, was far more consistent and when he broke again early in the second set, the writing was very much on the wall for an opponent who simply didn’t have any answers.

His serve was clocked at an impressive 137 mph but Kyrgios, who never seems too far away from a meltdown, had to dig deep in an attempt to close out the match.

Fognini however was unable to pull himself back into the match and another break of serve put the seal on a good afternoon’s work for Kyrgios who was boosted by having Boston Celtics star Gordon Hayward in his box here in Key Biscayne.