Roddick sends Federer home

The Swiss star is knocked out of Miami after going unbeaten for two months on the ATP circuit, while the American advances to the last 16.

There was a big shock in the third round of the second ATP Masters 1000 event of the season. In a hard fought match, America’s Andy Roddick left Roger Federer high and dry in Miami. The Swiss player had not lost in an ATP tournament since falling to the left hand of Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals of the Australian Open on 26 January. Two months later, and after picking up titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and Indian Wells (the first ATP Masters 1000 event of the year), Federer tastes defeat again. The Nebraska native took the very tight first set in the tiebreak (4-7), but the tournament’s third seed hit back in the second, convincingly winning it 6-1, which took the match to a definitive set, however Roddick was able to keep his nerve and win it 4-6, booking his place to the last 16.

Andy Roddick picked up his third win against Roger Federer in 24 encounters and broke the Swiss player’s run of 17 straight victories since the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Next up the American will fight it out with Argentina’s Juan Mónaco, who surprised Gael Monfils by coming back from a 4-6 lose in the first set to win the following two 6-3, 6-4. In the all-Spanish clash, Nicolás Almagro beat Fernando Verdasco in straight sets (6-3, 6-4) and will now be looking to defeat the tournament’s eighth seed, Mardy Fish, for a place in the quarterfinals. The American did away with South Africa’s Kevin Anderson in two sets: 4-6, 3-6.

David Ferrer brought the number of Spanish players competing in the last 16 to three after beating France’s Julien Benneteau in an equal match, which was settled in two sets, 6-7 (5-7 in the tiebreak), 4-6. In the next round the fifth seed will take on Juan Martín del Potro in what is surely one of the most hotly anticipated matches of the round. The Argentine knocked Marin Cilic out of the tournament (6-3, 7-6). Albert Ramos was unable to progress to the last 16 after losing to Richard Gasquet in three sets. The Frenchman took the first 6-2, Ramos came back in the second with a tight score of 5-7 but couldn’t hold out as the 17th seed won the definitive set 6-3.

Today all eight of the last 16 matches will be played: Dimitrov – Tipsarevic, Nishikori – Nadal, Almagro – Fish, Djokovic – Gasquet, Simon – Murray, Roddick – Mónaco, Tsonga – Mayer and Del Potro – Ferrer.