ATP MIAMI – Halys creates the feat, Berrettini on the mat, Eubanks surprises Coric: the results of the 2nd round

The Florida sun shines on this Masters 1000 Saturday. In Miami, the second round has started and a poster gave a particularly addictive match. The one between Alex De Minaur (seeded number 15) and Quentin Halys, who won his first career Masters 1000 match in the first round in Miami. After more than three hours of play, the Frenchman won for the first time in his career against a player in the top 20 at the end of the suspense (6-7 [5]7-6 [3]7-6 [8]).

After erasing a first match point in the second set then a second in the third, Quentin Halys blew up the Australian who even broke his racket in the last tie-break. Thanks to 21 aces, the Frenchman ranked 79th in the ATP goes to the third round where he will meet a player within his reach now, Mackenzie McDonald.

Borna Coric, seeded number 17, suffered the law of American Christopher Eubanks (world number 119) in three sets (3-6, 6-4, 6-2). At 26, Eubanks leaned on an excellent serve, slamming for example 11 aces against 2 to his opponent. The American offered himself 11 break points and converted 4, but above all he was perfectly effective in returning services to get out a seed and advance to the 3rd round.

He can’t do it at all. Eliminated in the first round of Indian Wells and in the quarter-finals of a challenger in Phoenix, Matteo Berrettini was once again beaten by lower ranked than him. Facing the American Mackenzie McDonald, the Italian (seed number 19) gave in in two hung sets (7-6 [8]7-6 [5]). No break was listed in this match but Berrettini was more friable in the decisive moments. His ordeal continues.

Musetti and Baez sidelined

For his part, Lorenzo Musetti, seeded number 18, was also removed from the table by Jiri Lehecka, 44th player in the world, in two sets (6-4, 6-4). It only took two breaks for the Czech to win against an Italian who struggled with his first service ball (54%). Lehecka was better in all statistical categories, and in particular behind his first serve (76% against 63% at Musetti).

Another seed to take the door directly in the second round, the Argentinian Sebastian Baez, out in straight sets by Cristian Garin (7-6 [2], 6-3). Despite an extraordinary percentage of first serves passed (93%), Baez was brought to his senses by a more balanced Chilean. Garin, for example, won 73% of points behind his second service ball against 17% for the Argentinian. Result, Garin climbs to the third round of the Miami Masters 1000.

Seeded number 28, Yoshihito Nishioka also ended up on the mat. The Japanese could not resist Alex Molcan, 56th player in the world. The Slovak, much more realistic when concluding on break points, won in three sets 7-6 [5], 1-6, 6-2. Nishioka himself missed 13 break opportunities. Too much to hope to win.