The Miami Open draw ceremony was held on Monday afternoon and it produced an especially intriguing road for Roger Federer. After missing all of February and the Indian Wells Masters because of a knee injury, Federer is making his return in Miami and his opening match could come against Juan Martin Del Potro.
Federer awaits the winner of an all-Argentine showdown between Del Potro and Guido Pella. The 34-year-old Swiss could then face either Fernando Verdasco, Gilles Muller, or Jeremy Chardy in the third round. A possible opponent in the last 16 is Indian Wells semifinalist David Goffin.
David Ferrer, who also missed the BNP Paribas Open, is the other top-eight seed in Federer’s section of the bracket. If the seedings hold to form through to the quarterfinals, additional matchups would included Novak Djokovic vs. Tomas Berdych, Stan Wawrinka vs. Rafael Nadal, and Andy Murray vs. Kei Nishikori.
The Wawrinka-Nadal quarter also features John Isner, Milos Raonic, and Nick Kyrgios. Isner seemed to be in line for a deep run in the desert but lost from match point up to Nishikori in the fourth round. Raonic has to be considered a question mark because he was less than 100 percent in a 6-2, 6-0 Indian Wells final loss to Djokovic. In part due to illness and injury, Kyrgios has not won a match since his February hot streak in Marseille and Dubai.
Djokovic, the Australian Open and Indian Wells champion, will kick off his Miami campaign against either Jiri Vesely or Kyle Edmund. Rotterdam winner Martin Klizan is the Serb’s nearest seed, while Dominic Thiem is a potential fourth-round adversary.
Full draw on the ATP website
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who ya got?
I don’t understand how Fritz has to qualify, but guys ranked lower than him are in the main draw. He’s ranked 81, Edmonds is 87 and Edmonds doesn’t have to qualify.
Still learning!
Was guessing it has to be politics. Jelena Ostapenko is rising star ranked #40 WTA and she had to qualify – she’s a big match player and someone I was really looking forward to watching in the main draw. Sachia Vickery ranked #173 beat her in qualifying round one. Good for Vickery! – I love Vickery, but it must be discouraging for an 18-yr-old new to the top 100, who earned her #40 by getting to the final of a Premier 900 point event in Doha in February.
Edmund won a challenger in Dallas, Texas. Maybe that was it? I don’t know.
Because the entry deadline was before Fritz shot up the rankings.
@vhensley
Entry lists are finalize I think 6 weeks in advance so it goes by the ranking then not now. This does not apply to seeding which uses current ranking.
correct
Thanks!
Djokovic-Fed are literally always in the same half unless ranked/seeded 1 and 2. It’s funny actually.
Fritz about to lose first set of final round qualifying match against 422nd ranked Alex Kuznetsov.
#OnDaFritz
Roger is my guy so I don’t know if I can pick anyone but him here lol. Nole looked vulnerable in IW so I think Roger has a chance but Novak did turn it on in the final though Raonic was injured so that helped him out a little. Nonetheless after some ok performances heading into the final he was totally dominant over the Canadian.
Roger is not making it out of the Delpo match. IMO.