Top seed Stan Wawrinka crashed out of the Miami Open on Tuesday falling 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to German young gun Alexander Zverev, who booked his first Masters 1000 quarter-final.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori advanced to the quarter-finals on cue.

But Wawrinka, beaten by fellow Swiss Federer in the final of Indian Wells earlier this month, looked weary as he struggled through the third set of a match played on his 32nd birthday.
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“I had one bad game to start the second set and then it was tough for me,” Wawrinka, the reigning US Open champion, said. “I don’t know. I completely went down physically and mentally, and also my tennis was completely out. I had no more gas.”

“For sure it’s a disappointing match. I think the level was quite up and down. We were both fighting a little bit in the first set to find good level. It was really humid, not easy to play some great tennis,” he added.

The 19-year-old Zverev saved four of five break points and won 75 per cent of his service points.

“I had to be aggressive. I felt like he was the one controlling all the points all the time, so I had to change that. It worked out well for me,” Zverev said.

The German, seeded 16th, will now face Australian Nick Kyrgios, who was impressive in a 7-6 (7/5) 6-3 win over Belgian David Goffin.

Federer had to work hard for his victory against 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, emerging with a 7-6 (7/5) 7-6(7/4) win setting up a last eight meeting with Czech Tomas Berdych, the 10th seed, a 6-3, 7-5 winner over France’s Adrian Mannarino.

“It was a different kind of match,” said Federer, who is in an excellent run of form having won the Australian Open and Indian Wells already this year.

“It wasn’t the big-serving match where you’re only going to see so many looks, you know, so when you miss chances you always feel a bit frustrated sometimes.

“That’s where you got to keep a positive mindset and make the right plays,” he added.

The first set was a close and entertaining battle. Bautista broke to go 5-4 up but Federer then won every point in the next two games. The tie-break saw some fantastic tennis from both players but the Swiss delivered at the close.

“I thought Roberto did a good job of making shots, staying offensive when he could, fending off a lot of good shots that I hit,” Federer said. “Then it was tough. The sun was coming from the side in the beginning so it’s hard to chase the lines.”

– Nadal sets Sock clash –
Nadal beat France’s Nicolas Mahut 6-4, 7-6 (7/4) in a tightly fought contest and will face American Jack Sock who comfortably beat his compatriot Jared Donaldson 6-2, 6-1.

The Spaniard, who has never won the Miami title, got the only break of the match to go 5-4 up in the first set and said he expected a strong challenge from Sock.

“He’s a very aggressive player, very powerful player, big serve, big forehand, and a good backhand too. He plays quick with his backhand.

“So I need to play aggressive. That’s the only way. If I let him play in a comfortable position going to be impossible for me. So I need focus with my serve, but at the same time I need to be aggressive,” said Nadal.

Sock is bubbling with confidence however.
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“I’ll definitely give myself a lot more chance to win this time around than maybe I did a few years ago. I’m 24 years old now and been on tour for a while. I’m playing these matches and hoping I can win and going in believing I can win for sure,” said the American.

Second-seed Nishikori, of Japan, survived a second set scare against Argentine Federico del Bonis en route to a 6-3, 4-6, 6-3.

Nishikori, who lost to Novak Djokovic in last year’s Miami final, will face Italian Fabio Fognini, who defeated American Donald Young 6-0 6-4.
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