Miami R4 previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Mahut, Federer vs. Bautista Agut

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal had to face each other in round four of the Indian Wells Masters. This time around in Miami they find themselves on opposite sides of the draw are heavy fourth-round favorites over Roberto Bautista Agut and Nicolas Mahut, respectively, on Tuesday.

(5) Rafael Nadal vs. Nicolas Mahut

Nadal and Mahut will be squaring off for the second time in their careers when they battle for a spot in the Miami Open quarterfinals on Tuesday afternoon. The head-to-head series is tied at one win apiece, with Mahut scoring a 7-5, 7-6(0) upset on the grass courts of Queen’s Club in 2007 before Nadal got a retirement from the Frenchman while cruising 6-2, 6-2 at the 2011 U.S. Open. Those results are not too surprising given that Mahut has always been at his best on the green stuff, earning all four of his ATP titles on that surface (three in ‘s-Hertogenbosch, one in Newport). On hard courts this season the 35-year-old had done next to nothing, owning a 4-6 record with no trips past a second round prior to this fortnight. Out of nowhere, though, Mahut is through to the last 16 with victories over Michael Mmoh, Steve Johnson, and Guido Pella.

Like his 55th-ranked opponent, Nadal has survived one three-setter so far on Key Biscayne. The world No. 6 got bageled in the first set of his third-round showdown against Philipp Kohlschreiber but stormed back to get the job done 0-6, 6-2, 6-2. Nadal, who is now 16-4 this year, preceded that win with a more routine 6-3, 6-4 defeat of Dudi Sela. Although Nadal has not been at his absolute best since losing a heartbreaker of an Australian Open final to Roger Federer, he should have more than enough to get past Mahut in these conditions.

Pick: Nadal in 2 losing 8 games or fewer

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(4) Roger Federer vs. (14) Roberto Bautista Agut

Aside from a shocking loss to Evgeny Donskoy in Dubai, Federer has withstood anything and everything that opponents have thrown at him in 2017. The reigning Australian Open and Indian Wells champion boasts wins this season over Nadal (twice), Stan Wawrinka (twice), Kei Nishikori, Tomas Berdych, Nick Kyrgios, and Jack Sock. The latest challenger was Juan Martin Del Potro, who went down 6-3, 6-4 during third-round action in Miami on Monday. Federer, who opened with a hard-fought 7-6(2), 6-3 victory over qualifier Frances Tiafoe, is making his first appearance at this tournament since 2014 and looking for his first title–and even final–since 2006.

Up next for the 35-year-old Swiss on Tuesday afternoon is Bautista Agut, who is a hopeless 0-5 in the head-to-head series. In fact, even though the sample size is relatively small, this one of the most lopsided matchups in all of tennis. The Spaniard is 0-12 in total sets against Federer and no set has been more competitive than 6-4. If there is any good news for Bautista Agut, it is that he is an awesome 15-3 this season following wins this fortnight over Mikhail Kukushkin and Sam Querrey. No matter how well the world No. 18 is playing, however, he is likely in line for another beatdown at the hands of a red-hot Federer.

Pick: Federer in 2 losing 8 games or fewer

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