Djokovic and Wozniacki out of Miami Masters

MIAMI: Six-time champion Novak Djokovic’s hopes of turning around his season at the Miami Masters ended in the second round when he was defeated 6-3, 6-4 by Frenchman Benoit Paire.

The loss snapped a 16-match winning streak in the tournament for the ninth-seeded Serb, who had been eliminated in the second round at Indian Wells but said before the match his right elbow was pain-free for the first time in a long while.

He had won the tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016 but missed last year’s event with the elbow injury.

The defeat also ended a streak of 21 consecutive victories over players from France for the former world No. 1.

“I’m trying, but it’s not working,” Djokovic told the Miami Herald. “That’s all it is. I mean, obviously I’m not feeling great when I’m playing this way.

Juan Martin del Potro survived a battle with Robin Haase to capture his 12th consecutive win, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2.

Second seeded Croatian Marin Cilic moved into the third round with a 7-5, 6-3 triumph over Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert and third seed Grigor Dimitrov rallied from a set down to beat German Maximilian Marterer 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.

In the women’s section, Monica Puig shrugged off an opening set bagel to rally for a 0-6, 6-4 6-4 victory over world No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki in the second round.

Ukrainian fourth seed Elina Svitolina ended Naomi Osaka’s remarkable recent run with a 6-4, 6-2 triumph over the Indian Wells champion.

Svitolina will next face Australian 26th seed Daria Gavrilova, who defeated German Andrea Petkovic 7-6 (7-3), 6-4.

Venus Williams was unhappy with her shaky performance against qualifier Natalia Vikhlyantseva but advanced 7-5, 6-4.