Novak Djokovic will continue his Miami campaign against Tomas Berdych on Wednesday. David Goffin and Gilles Simon are also aiming for a place in the final four.
(1) Novak Djokovic vs. (7) Tomas Berdych
One of the most lopsided rivalries in tennis will be renewed when Djokovic and Berdych collide for the 25th time in their careers during quarterfinal action at the Miami Open on Wednesday night. Djokovic is dominating the head-to-head series 22-2, including 19-0 on hard courts. The world No. 1 has taken seven consecutive sets from Berdych after most recently getting the job done 6-3, 7-6(3) two months ago in the Doha semifinals. Their only previous Miami meeting came seven years ago, with the Serb rolling 6-3, 6-2.
Amazingly enough, Djokovic is on pace to compile an even better record than he did in 2015 (82-6). The reigning Australian Open champion–not to mention Wimbledon and the U.S. Open–is 25-1 and has not lost a single match by anything other than retirement (against Feliciano Lopez in Dubai). So far in Miami the top seed has defeated Kyle Edmund, Joao Sousa, and Dominic Thiem in straight sets. Berdych has advanced with three-set wins over Steve Johnson and Richard Gasquet in addition to a walkover from Rajeev Ram. The seventh-ranked Czech was absolutely exhausted after grueling efforts against both Johnson and Gasquet. Even at 100 percent, this would be a borderline impossible task for Berdych. Based on what has transpired so far at this tournament, it may not even be competitive.
Pick: Djokovic in 2
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(15) David Goffin vs. (18) Gilles Simon
Something will have to give when two in-form and strikingly similar competitors go head-to-head for just the second time in their careers on Wednesday. Goffin and Simon previously faced each other last summer on the grass courts of Queen’s Club, where the Frenchman prevailed 6-7(6), 7-5, 6-2. Although slight in stature, Goffin and Simon are extremely solid ball-strikers who play great defense and wield dangerous two-handed backhands.
Simon has been nowhere near as consistent as Goffin this season, but the world No. 18 appears to be heating up. He has bounced back from a third-round Indian Wells loss to Alexander Zverev with victories in Miami over Juan Monaco, Marin Cilic, and Lucas Pouille. Simon destroyed his inexperienced compatriot 6-0, 6-1 on Tuesday afternoon. Goffin is now through to consecutive Masters 1000 quarterfinals (he reached the semis in Indian Wells), having previously reached only one such quarterfinal in his entire career (Rome last spring). The 15th-ranked Belgian punched his ticket to the last eight by knocking off Marcel Granollers, Viktor Troicki, and Horacio Zeballos in straight sets. An ever-so-slight edge may go to Goffin, who has conserved energy through three routine matches and is quite simply playing the best tennis of his career.
Pick: Goffin in 3
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