Jenson Brooksby trailed 4-0 in the third set at the Miami Open on Monday, but his third-round match against Roberto Bautista Agut was a roller-coaster that would have one more turn.
After leading 5-4 in the second set, Brooksby lost seven consecutive games to fall into his seemingly insurmountable final-set deficit. From out of nowhere, though, the 21-year-old American reeled off six games in a row to prevail 6-3, 5-7, 6-4 in two hours and 39 minutes.
“I’m happy to get through that one,” Brooksby assured. “I thought my competing today was a lot better. Still a little streaky, but usually it would be easy to mentally fold in that situation, I think. I stayed really mentally strong; I competed until the end and it went my way.
“Unfortunately I had lower energy to start the third and I put myself in a lot of trouble there because of that. But I was glad to mentally turn that around.”
Brooksby’s reward is a shot at top seed Daniil Medvedev, who will regain the No. 1 ranking from Novak Djokovic next week if he reaches the semifinals. Mevedev advanced on Monday with a 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Pedro Martinez.
“I just felt like I had to be more consistent (than him), and the more consistent one today would win,” Medvedev explained. “I managed to just make a few less errors at important moments, serve even better, and it was a small margin but I managed to win and I’m really happy.”
Medvedev and Brooksby are joined in the last 16 by Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz, who beat good friend Tommy Paul 7-6(2), 6-4.
nice one, JT
I was watching the match and at 4:1 Agut, I switch bcoz I said the American is done and then 😱. What, Is this choking season?!!!
Mind you, Brooksby has already broken medvedev, lol!