Miami Results

I'll admit it. I gave Juan Martin del Potro a zero percent chance of defeating Rafael Nadal prior to his meeting with the Spaniard on Thursday. The 19 year-old del Potro proved me wrong. After taking the first set and getting a break in the second set in no time, del Potro started to fall apart, as he won 1 point in 3 games to allow Rafa to take a 5-2 lead. Nadal would then win the second set 6-3 and take a double-break lead in the 3rd. At this point, I thought that the world number 1 was too much of a seasoned veteran in these types of situtations to give up his big lead, but the Argentine forced the issue. The world number 6 won 4 consecutive games. After 5 games of no sevice breaks, the deciding tie-break started. Nadal, who had already saved 3 match points, got out to a 2-1 lead. JM would win 6 of the next 7 points to pull off the biggest win of his career. In other men's quarterfinal action, Andy Murray got his revenge on Fernando Verdasco, who haulted Murray's bid t0 win his first grand slam in Australia. Murray dropped just 3 games and rolled on. In women's semifinal play, Victoria Azarenka proved she is the real deal when she took out Svetlana Kuznetsova in 3 sets. Azarenka won the first set, but was dominated in the second. She bounced back to take the third and reach what will be the biggest match of her career. Azarenka will play either Serena or Venus Williams. The younger sister, Serena, won the first set but Venus foughtback and took the second.

Miami

Men's Singles- Quarterfinals

Juan Martin del Potro (6) def. Rafael Nadal (1), 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3)

Andy Murray (4) def. Fernando Verdasco (8), 6-1, 6-2

Women's Singles- Semifinals

Victoria Azarenka (11) def. Svetlana Kuznetsova (8), 6-3, 2-6, 7-5