By: Christopher Menendez

Miami- Roger Federer was forced to withdraw from his scheduled game against Juan Martin del Potro due to a stomach virus. Del Potro instead faced Horacio Zeballos, who ruined Del Potro’s third round bid with a 6-4, 6-4 win. Del Potro commented about his recovery from wrist surgery: “It is a long road to get better, I am still patient, the worst is over.”

The fifth day of the Miami Open kicked off with an exciting match between the WTA No. 3 ranked Angelique Kerber and Czech Barbora Strycova. Kerber beat Strycova 6-1, 6-1. Kerber’s best run at The Miami Open was a quarter-final run in 2014.

American Nicole Gibbs advances past the second round of women’s singles after beating Kristina Mladenovic 2-6, 4-6.

Marin Cilic of Croatia won in a match against Dusan Lajovic, 6-4, 6-1. In the past, his best result at The Miami Open was making it to the quarter-finals in 2013.

Former world no. 7 Verdasco beats the no. 28 seed Jeremy Chardy, 6-4, 6-4. Verdasco is on the media’s radar after an upset with no.5 Nadal in a 4h 41m, 5-set Australian Open semi-final.

Austrian Dominic Thiem competed against Australia’s Sam Groth and won in 5-7, 2-6. Dominic, the youngest player in the ATP’s top 20, comes to Miami with a 5-2 career record. Just last month he captured his 5th career title in Acapulco.

CoCo Vandeweghe beats no. 6 in the world Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6, 2-6. Vandeweghe also entered the doubles draw with Groenefeld. Garbiñe Muguruza ranked no 4 in the world beats Slovakian Dominika Cibulkova, 7-6(3), 3-6, 5-7. Muguruza received her highest seeding (#4) at Miami and Indian Wells.

Taylor Fritz, the youngest player in the top 100 ATP rankings, lost to Spain’s David Ferrer, 6(6)-7, 1-6. Fritz had a promising first round where he showed his potential, but Ferrer quickly gained the upper hand in the contest. Last month Ferrer reached his first ATP World Tour final in Memphis.

Yoshihito Nishioka, #NextGen player from Japan, defeated Spain’s Feliciano Lopez this morning, 4-6, 4-6. This was the first time 20-year-old Nishioka played against Lopez.

About the Miami Open presented by Itaú

The 2016 Miami Open will be played March 21-April 3 at the Crandon Tennis Center in Miami. The two-week combined event is owned and operated by IMG. The Miami Open is one of nine ATP Masters 1000 Series events on the ATP calendar, a Premier Mandatory event on the WTA calendar, and features the top men’s and women’s tennis players in the world. The tournament is widely regarded as the most glamorous on the ATP and WTA calendars because of its exotic Miami location, thriving nightlife, five-star hotels and restaurants, beautiful weather and beaches, and its celebrity appeal. For ticket information, call +1.305.442.3367 or visit www.miamiopen.com.

About Itaú

Itau is the largest Latin America privately owned bank, with approximately 95,000 employees and operations in 20 countries throughout the Americas, Asia and Europe. Itaú’s relationship with sport goes back to the 1970s, when Itaú first sponsored the Itaú Tennis Cup in Brazil in 1970. Itaú has been a sponsor of the Miami Open for the last six years, and also sponsors the Rio Open, the only combined ATP/WTA event in South America. Itaú also supports the Brazilian Women’s Tennis Circuit, only female professional tournament in South America, certified by the Brazilian Tennis Confederation (CBT) and the International Tennis Federation (ITF), as well as the Tennis Institute Training Center, responsible for the development of young, new talent.

About IMG

IMG is a global leader in sports, fashion and media operating in more than 25 countries around the world. IMG’s businesses include Events Media, College, Golf, Tennis, Performance and IMG Academy, Fashion, Models, Clients, Licensing, Joint Ventures, and creative management agency Art + Commerce. In 2014, IMG was acquired by WME, the world’s leading entertainment and media agency. Together, the companies offer an unparalleled client roster; strategic partnerships with sponsors and brands; and marquee assets across sports, entertainment, events, music and fashion.