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Federer blows past del Potro in Miami

Miami - In-form Roger Federer powered his way into the fourth round of the Miami Open with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Argentina's Juan Martin del Potro on Monday.

Del Potro always enjoys plenty of crowd support in Miami, which has a large Argentine community, and it was the same story again with football-style chants of support ringing out for the 28-year-old on a packed Crandon Park center court.

It was the pair's first meeting since 2013 and having won 15 of the previous 21 encounters, Federer was favourite - but the crowd factor gave the third round match an added edge.

"Shortly before I walked out to the court you could sense the atmosphere. That's when I told myself, Just be prepared for something different, you know. It was different," Federer said.

He was forced to save four break points in the first set but he got ahead with a thundering forehand to take a 5-3 lead and served out for the set.

The Argentine had a chance to turn things around when he had a break point when down 4-3 in the second set but Federer, moving well and looking full of confidence, held firm and wrapped up the match in one hour and 22 minutes.

"I felt like I was in control and I was able to generate more chances than he did," Federer said.

"I felt like he got his chances a little bit out of nowhere, maybe because I dropped my level ever so slightly and gave him few easy points, and that's how he sort of got more chances on my serve.

"I feel like I earned it more. I was more the aggressor. It was more on my racquet, and I like it that way," added the Swiss, who won his 18th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January.

Federer, whose successful return from a six-month injury layoff has also included a win at Indian Wells this month, will face 14th seeded Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut in the next round.

Federer's compatriot and top-seed Stan Wawrinka defeated Tunisian Malek Jaziri 6-3, 6-4.

Wawrinka saved all six break points he faced and converted two of his four break opportunities and will now face Alexander Zverev of Germany in the fourth round on Tuesday.

Zverev pulled off a remarkable win over American John Isner, saving three match points as he came back from a set down to triumph 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5)

Czech Tomas Berdych, Miami finalist in 2010, defeated Gilles Muller 6-3, 6-4 while Australia's Nick Kyrgios held off a strong effort from big serving Croat Ivo Karlovic on the way to a 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 7-6 (7-2) win.

Kyrgios will play Belgian David Goffin, who narrowly edged a three-set thriller against Argentine Diego Schwartzmann.

Results from the ATP and WTA Miami Open on Monday (x denotes seed):

Men

Third round

Stan Wawrinka (SUI x1) bt Malek Jaziri (TUN) 6-3, 6-4

Alexander Zverev (GER) bt John Isner (USA) 6-7 (5/7), 7-6 (9/7), 7-6 (7/5)

Nick Kyrgios (AUS x12) bt Ivo Karlovic (CRO x17) 6-4, 6-7 (4/7), 7-6 (7/2)

David Goffin (BEL x8) bt Diego Schwartzman (ARG) 4-6, 6-3, 7-5

Roger Federer (SUI x4) bt Juan Martin del Potro (ARG x29) 6-3, 6-4

Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP x14) bt Sam Querrey (USA x22) 3-6, 6-2, 6-3

Tomas Berdych (CZE x10) bt Gilles Muller (LUX x24) 6-3, 6-4

Adrian Mannarino (FRA) bt Borna Coric (CRO) 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (7/3)

Women

Fourth round

Angelique Kerber (GER x1) bt Risa Ozaki (JPN) 6-2, 6-2

Venus Williams (USA x11) bt Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS x7) 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)

Simona Halep (ROM x3) bt Samantha Stosur (AUS x14) 4-6, 7-5, 6-2

Johanna Konta (GBR x10) bt Lara Arruabarrena (ESP) 7-5, 6-1

Caroline Wozniacki (DEN x12) bt Garbine Muguruza (ESP x6) 7-6 (7/1), retired, illness

Lucie Safarova (CZE) bt Dominika Cibulkova (SVK x4) 7-6 (7/5), 6-1

Mirjana Lucic-Baroni (CRO x26) bt Bethanie Mattek-Sands (USA) 7-5, 6-4

Karolina Pliskova (CZE x2) bt Barbora Zahlavova Strycova (CZE x15) 6-1, 6-4

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