Federer rolls into fourth round at Miami Open after beating del Porto

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Roger Federer took a look around as he entered the stadium court at the Miami Open, immediately feeling the energy of the crowd. He gave them quite a show. Federer advanced to the fourth round at Key Biscayne on Monday, beating Juan Martin del Potro 6-3, 6-4. Federer, who was facing 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 the fourthseeded 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 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,” the 29th-seeded del Potro said. “He played well in the break-point moments and I think that was the only difference in the match.”

Federer plays again Tuesday against 14th-seeded Roberto Bautista Agut, who needed three sets to top Sam Querrey of the U.S. Other third-round men’s winners included top-seeded Stan Wawrinka, eighth-seeded David Goffin, 10th-seeded Tomas Berdych, 12th-seeded Nick Kyrgios, 16th-seeded Alexander Zverev and unseeded Adrian Mannarino.