Federer rolls into the fourth round at Miami Open

KEY BISCAYNE, FLA. >> Roger Federer took a look around as he entered the stadium court at the Miami Open, already feeling the energy of the crowd.

He gave them quite the show.

Federer advanced to the fourth round at Key Biscayne on Monday, the No. 4 seed beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-4 on Monday. Federer, who was facing the 29th-seeded del Potro for the first time since 2013, never lost serve and improved to 15-1 this year.

He broke del Potro twice, once in each set, and that was all he needed.

“I feel like I earned it more,” said Federer, the 2005 and 2006 champion on Key Biscayne. “I was more the aggressor. It was more my racket, and I like it that way.”

The first break put him up 5-3 in the first set, and Federer then fought off four break points in the ensuing game before closing out the set.

Another break for a 3-2 lead in the second set, not long after del Potro got his oft-problematic left wrist taped on a changeover, put Federer in full control. Serving at 4-3, Federer faced a break point — Argentine fans serenaded del Potro beforehand with “Ole! Ole! Ole!” — but escaped when a serve return sailed long.

“I did my best,” del Potro said. “He played well in the break-point moments and I think that was the only difference in the match.”

It had the feel of a final, not a third-rounder on a Monday afternoon.

The stadium court, largely empty for the first two matches of the day, was filled — with huge roars greeting both players as they entered for warmups, many fans wearing hats or shirts with Federer’s “RF” logo, many others either donning Argentine soccer jerseys or carrying that nation’s flag in support of del Potro.

“It was really a great, nice atmosphere,” Federer said. “It was a lot of pleasure playing in nice weather, great opponent, great crowd. What else do you need?”

The last seven Federerdel Potro matches coming into this meeting all went the distance, with some classics — the 4 ½-hour, three-setter at the 2012 Olympics at Wimbledon where Federer prevailed 1917 in the third, Federer rallying from two sets down in the French Open quarterfinals that year, and del Potro winning the 2009 U.S. Open in five sets for his lone Grand Slam triumph.

Federer plays again Tuesday against 14thseeded Roberto Bautista Agut, who needed three sets to top Sam Querrey of the U.S. Tenth-seeded Tomas Berdych was another third-round winner, beating Gilles Muller 6-3, 6-4.

“It’s not something I’m used to, actually playing back-to-back days,” Federer said. “I hope my body’s going to be fine.”

Top-seeded Angelique Kerber made the women’s quarterfinals after beating Risa Ozaki 6-2, 6-2. Caroline Wozniacki also reached the quarters when Garbine Muguruza retired after the first set after feeling dizziness that she said was brought on by the heat.

Wozniacki, the 12th seed, took that set over the sixthseeded Muguruza 7-6 (1).