Carreno, Zverev semis showdown in Miami
Pablo Carreno Busta defeated world No.8 Kevin Anderson 64, 5-7, 7-6 (6) here to reach the semifinals of the Miami Open tennis tournament.
Besides propelling him to only his second Masters 1000 semi-final, Friday’s victory represents revenge for the Spaniard’s loss to the South African ea rlier this month in the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
The 26-year-old, ranked 19th in the world, also posted his second win against a Top 10 opponent after defeating then No.6 Milos Raonic in the 2017 French Open.
Anderson looked like the favourite heading into the match, having defeated Carreno Busta in all four of their previous encounters.
Yet it was the Spaniard who dominated in the beginning, taking the first set 6-4 and surging to a 5-3 lead in the second before Anderson broke his serve and won four straight games to prevail 7-5 and force a third set.
Carreno Busta survived a match point for Anderson in the third set tie-break and grabbed the next three points to secure the spot in the final four.
Later, Alexander Zverev remains on target for his third ATP Masters title after dismantling Borna Coric 6-4, 6-4 to set up a meeting with Pablo Carreno Busta for a place in Sunday’s Miami Open final.
The German world number five produced a supremely solid display and was excellent value for this deserved victory against Coric who was ultimately overpowered and outmaneuvered.
Zverev, who enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2017 after winning the Italian Open in Rome and the Canada Masters by beating Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer respectively, is keen for more of the same at Key Biscayne.
“The times we played before, he just better than me,” said Zverev, who will move to number three in the world if he manages to win Sunday’s final.
“I am really happy to have made it through against him. Carreno Busta will be a very difficult match, he’s playing really well now.
“It is going to be a big test but I am looking forward to it.”
Play was delayed for over an hour because of a problem with the Crandon Park floodlights but when the action finally began, the restless crowd were treated to an absorbing match-up between two of the rising stars of the men’s game.
And in the end, it was Zverev who emerged victorious after just 84 minutes, executing the perfect balance between pressurizing the Coric serve, and comfortably holding his own.
Zverev, 20, had lost both his previous matches against the 21-year-old Croatian, at Cincinnati in 2015 and two years later at the US Open. Yet the German started well in the bid to finally get to the Miami last four after losing at this stage for the previous two years.
With his serve reaching 137 mph, he was able to keep Coric in check while adopting an aggressive mindset.
Carreno Busta has never played Zverev before. He will head into Friday night’s match full of confidence after beating Anderson in a dramatic third set tie-break.
Zverev nets his first career win over Coric 6-4, 6-4 to reach maiden Miami Open semi-finals.
Anderson had saved two match points in the second set but the gleeful Spaniard eventually prevailed, reaching his second ATP Masters semi-final.
It was just his second win over a top 10 player in 23 attempts, and his first over Anderson in five attempts.
“It was an amazing said the world No. 19. “I lost last week with him, 7-6 in the third set. And today, well, at the beginning of the match I started to play really well. I was returning good, serving good, being very aggressive.