Roger Federer had to dig deep to win a pair of tiebreaks but Svetlana Kuznetsova was not so lucky as the women’s top seed was sent crashing out of the ATP and WTA Sony Ericsson Open on Monday.
Reigning Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon champ Federer swept past France’s Florent Serra 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3) in a third round match.
Serra made top seed Federer work for the win as the Swiss star had his service broken three times but Federer closed out the win with a service winner, playing well in both tiebreakers on the hardcourts at Crandon Park.
PHOTO: AFP
American Mardy Fish advanced to the fourth round with his second straight win over a seeded opponent, beating No. 29 Feliciano Lopez 7-5, 6-3. Fish upset defending champion Andy Murray in the second round.
Federer needed 92 minutes and six aces to dispatch Serra in their first career meeting. He won eight straight service points in the tiebreakers.
Federer advances to face No. 16 Tomas Berdych, who beat Horacio Zeballos 6-4, 7-5.
In the women’s side of the draw, top seed Kuznetsova crashed out of the tournament after suffering a 6-3, 6-0 fourth round loss to Marion Bartoli of France.
Kuznetsova, who won here four years ago, received on-court treatment for a nagging shoulder injury three times in Monday’s match.
In the evening match, Justine Henin of Belgium breezed past Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-4.
Bartoli claimed her first win in three meetings with the Russian to advance to the quarter-finals.
Third seeded Venus Williams won the final seven points as the American rallied to beat Daniela Hantuchova 1-6, 7-5, 6-4 to reach the quarter-finals.
Williams smashed service winners on the opening two points of the final game.
Williams is looking for her fourth Miami title and her first in nine years.
She advances to face Agnieszka Radwanska, who beat Yaroslava Shvedova 6-1, 6-4.
Like Kuznetsova, defending champion Victoria Azarenka also lost on Monday as former world number one Kim Clijsters easily beat Azarenka 6-4, 6-0.
Clijsters, seeded 14th, next plays Australian Samantha Stosur, who surprised seventh seed Jelena Jankovic 6-1, 7-6 (11/9).
Beating Hantuchova is old hat for Williams, who has won all 10 of their contests. But she was not in top form committing 45 unforced errors, including 11 as she lost the first four games.
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