Novak Djokovic will face familiar foe Roberto Bautista Agut on one of the best days on the annual tennis calendar: Tuesday in Miami. All fourth-round matches are taking place, including defending champion John Isner vs. Kyle Edmund.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (22) Roberto Bautista Agut
Djokovic and Bautista Agut will be squaring off for the 10th time in their careers when they battle for a place in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open on Tuesday. The head-to-head series stands at 7-2 in favor of Djokovic, who won their first five meetings but has since lost two of their last four. They most recently collided earlier this season in Doha, where Bautista Agut scored a 3-6, 7-6(6), 6-4 victory on his eventual way to the title. In their last five contests, Djokovic has prevailed in straight sets only once.
The world No. 1 fell right away in Indian Wells to Philipp Kohlschreiber and endured a third-round scare on Miami on Sunday evening, holding off Federico Delbonis 7-5, 4-6, 6-1. Bautista Agut has played sparingly since compiling a combined 9-1 record in Doha and Melbourne, but he appears to be back in business this fortnight with straight-set victories over Janko Tipsarevic and Fabio Fognini. The 25th-ranked Spaniard should once again be competitive, but he is not at his peak like he was in January and it will obviously require his absolute best in order to oust Djokovic.
Pick: Djokovic in 3
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(19( Kyle Edmund vs. (7) John Isner
There are a few tournaments where you simply never want to pick against Isner, and obviously all of them are in his stomping grounds of the United States. Atlanta is at the top of that list, Newport is also on there, and Miami is another one. The 6’10” American is 21-10 lifetime at this tournament and he is the defending champion, having captured the biggest title of his career in the Crandon Park finale last spring. Isner’s defense if to a fine start, with straight-set defeats of Lorenzo Sonego and Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
Up next for the world No. 9 on Tuesday is a third career contest against Edmund. They faced each other twice in 2016, when Isner coasted 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 at Roland Garros before Edmund exacted revenge via a 6-4, 3-6, 6-2, 7-6(5) decision at the U.S. Open. Due in part to physical problems, the 22nd-ranked Brit had not won a main-tour match this season prior to Indian Wells. But he reached the fourth round there (lost to Roger Federer) and so far in Miami has picked up wins over Ilya Ivashka and Milos Raonic. Current form suggest this will be a close one, but home-court advantage at one of his favorite events gives an edge to Isner.
Pick: Isner in 3
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Isner in three, he wasn’t that convincing in his last match while Edmund is on the up
Djoker and Isner, both in 3.
RBA in 3
Edmund in 3 (maybe 2)
Isner has home ground advantage at the US Open a lost. Edmund is in great form and Isner is not. Edmund should win unless Isner turns his form around overnight.
Come on, John!!!!…in 3….and Joker in 2.
What a dummy Edmund is
why did you pick him?
Bautista-Agut is playing like an absolute monster in this match. Loses the first set 6-1 and had just played himself back into it. Novak not at his best, but he just doesn’t seem to be able to impose his game on RBA, who looks headed for a 3rd straight victory over Djokovic.
Awesome win for RBA, my favourite Spanish player. He has really improved in the last few years, and he’s obviously proved to be a tough match-up for Djokovic. Why that is, I don’t know. It would seem like everything RBA can do, Novak can do better. But today he was the more consistent player from the baseline and gained the advantage as the rallies got longer.
Interesting. Thanks for your thoughts on the match. Maybe Novak’s just not that motivated without a slam in the offing?
Tennis isstupid to bet on anymore, last few years have been next to impossible. No way Novak can wipe the floor first set and then not hit the same shots. I don’t understand why guys just take so many breaks? Makes it impossible to bet on. Of all guys not to try. He opened as a -500 fav and went down to -400 right before. Amazing they knew something would be up
Dude don’t bet it on then. I noticed the line jump too right before. Very strange. I threw $100 on RBA bc of it moneyline. Don’t think for a second if Joker knew he could pocket 1mill and rest for majors, he would in a heartbeat. He looked unstoppable game 1 and then eased off. It’s not surprising, tennis has issues for this stuff. And all players do it, not just the lower levels.
that happened in the Djoker match?
I seriously am DUMBFOUNDED that RBA won that match… I am so impressed with that dude. I was dumbfounded that he even stayed in the SECOND set! He seriously looked just, completely cooked. He looked like he just didn’t have it today. I stopped watching. Next thing I knew, he was up 5-4 in the 2nd set at the rain delay. I guess that even though he was really struggling, he just fought hard enough to keep it on serve, and then pounced right at the right moment to take the 2nd set. Novak looked like he was rolling, up a set and a break. Was it more RBA playing amazing for the second half of the match, or Novak falling off? Or equal amount of each?
I get the feeling that Federer could potentially reeaally struggle in these conditions… These slow, humid, wet conditions are really not his friend, especially at his age. I won’t be surprised if he ends up losing, too.
RBA has done that before, ie beaten Djoko and all on the HCs. He can hit very flat shots and with topspin too, not easy to beat him as he’s good from the baseline and he’s quick around the court, and he never gives up!
I don’t think any of the big three likes playing against him, its just like playing against Simon or Schwarz and of course Ferrer – they keep fighting and never give up!
Rafa has only played RBA twice but he’s never had any problems beating him. Their last match was at RG 2017 when Rafa won 61 62 62. Federer has beaten B-Agut 8 times, all in straight sets.
Ricky, why are my comments being moderated?
no clue. will try to figure it out.
Thanks
It’s not straight sets or not, it’s the way they played during the matches, hardly as easy as the scorelines surrgested; it’s only on clay that Rafa had it easy.
Could RBA not just be a bad match-up for Djoker?
Yeah, not a good match up but Djoko beat him 7 out of 10 times! As I said, he’s not an easy opponent, just like a Simon or a Ferrer or Schwartz; the big three can and will beat them, but not without having to sweat it out from the baseline in some long rallies.
Novak wasn’t at his best today, but he didn’t play badly, imo. There were several rallies where he hit 3 or 4 amazing shots, deep, angled, pace, etc. And RBA just tracked them down and wore Novak down. You could almost see it in his eyes when he failed to win one of those points; it’s like, what does it take to win a point off this guy?
It just goes to show how much confidence matters. RBA knows not only that he’s beaten Djokovic before on HC, but that he’s done it from a set down. So he didn’t panic today even after losing that first set 6-1 (which imo was more him playing badly than Novak playing awesome). Well done!