Stan Wawrinka gave himself an early birthday present on Saturday at the Miami Open presented by Itaú. The Swiss, who turns 32 on Tuesday, downed Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 6-4 in 65 minutes to open play on Day 4 at the Crandon Park Tennis Center.

Coming off a run to the final at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, Wawrinka dropped just two points on his first serve (92 per cent points won) and fired seven aces. He converted both break points earned, taking the lead in the fourth game of first set and once again to open the second.

“I’m really happy with the match today,” said Wawrinka. “I think it was a great match, especially for first one here for me. It’s quite tough conditions, raining and really windy today. It’s really windy on the court, so it’s never easy. I’m happy with the way I was moving, the way I was playing and my attitude in general was really positive. So it’s a great match.

“I’m playing better tennis. I feel that I’m playing good here. I took the confidence from Indian Wells. So let’s see… When I’m playing well, when I am confident with my game, I know I can beat anybody.”

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Making his ninth appearance in Miami, Wawrinka leads the field at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event for the first time. It marks the first time a player outside the Big Four is the top seed in Miami since Lleyton Hewitt in 2003.

Wawrinka will look to match his best result at the prestigious hard-court event when he faces either Feliciano Lopez or Malek Jaziri next, with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line.

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following match-ups & vote for the players you think will win!
Federer vs Tiafoe | del Potro vs Haase | Thiem vs Coric

DAY 4 PREVIEW: Second round action in the top half of the draw on Saturday at the Miami Open presented by Itau, features top seed Stan Wawrinka, No. 4 seed and 2005-06 champion Roger Federer, No. 6 seed Dominic Thiem and No. 8 seed David Goffin, a semi-finalist last year. In addition, No. 29 seed and top Argentine Juan Martin del Potro, headlines the night session.

In the opening match on Stadium, Wawrinka brings a 2-0 head-to-head record against Horacio Zeballos of Argentina. Wawrinka won both previous meetings on clay in Buenos Aires in 2012 and Roland Garros in 2013. Wawrinka is coming off a runner-up effort at the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the season in Indian Wells where he lost to Federer. Wawrinka, who turns 32 next Tuesday, is the top seed in an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time in his career.

In the next men’s match on, Federer takes on #NextGenATP qualifier Frances Tiafoe, a 19-year-old who is No. 101 in the Emirates ATP Rankings. Federer is off to a blazing 13-1 start, highlighted by his 18th Grand Slam crown at the Australian Open and 25th ATP Masters 1000 title in Indian Wells last Sunday. It was also his 90th career title.

The 35-year-old superstar is making his 16th Miami Open appearance, the first since 2014. Last year he was in the draw but withdrew due to illness. His 44 Miami match wins is second only to six-time champion Andre Agassi (61). Tiafoe is playing his first Top 10 opponent in his young career. The highest-ranked player he has faced is No. 18 David Goffin last year in Indian Wells where he lost in a third set tie-break.

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In the night session, del Potro looks for his third win against top Dutchman Robin Haase, who is ranked No. 48. The 28-year-old del Potro last year came into Miami ranked No. 366 and this week
he enters No. 34. A semi-finalist here in 2009, del Potro is playing in his fourth tournament of the season. His best result is the semi-finals in Delray Beach.

On Grandstand, Americans Sam Querrey, the No. 22 seed (vs. Tommy Robredo), and John Isner, the No. 18 seed (vs. Thomaz Bellucci), are the first two men’s matches on the schedule. In the third match on, #NextGenATP Croat Borna Coric plays Thiem in a first-time meeting. In the final match, No. 12 seed Nick Kyrgios, who reached the semi-finals here last year in his debut, squares off with Damir Dzumhur for the first time. In his last two tournaments, Kyrgios has wins over No. 2 Novak Djokovic en route to the semi-finals in Acapulco and quarter-finals in Indian Wells.

In the opening match on Court 1, 2013 Miami finalist and No. 27 seed David Ferrer, plays Argentine Diego Schwartzman for the first time. Ferrer is making his 15th straight Miami appearance. In the next match on, No. 10 seed and 2010 runner-up Tomas Berdych plays Russian #NextGenATP wild card Andrey Rublev for the first time. In the last singles match, Yen-Hsun Lu of Chinese Taipei looks for his second win against No. 16 seed #NextGenATP German standout Alexander Zverev, who last month won his second career ATP World Tour title in Montpellier (d. Gasquet). Also won doubles title with brother Mischa.

On a Friday filled with upsets at the Miami Open presented by Itau, Guido Pella provided another stunning second-round casualty by defeating ninth seed Grigor Dimitrov under the lights 6-3, 7-6(4).

The Bulgarian struggled to find his timing on Stadium Court, hitting 38 unforced errors to 18 winners. Meanwhile, the World No. 158 in the Emirates ATP Rankings appeared inspired by the occasion and rose to the challenge with several flashy winners from the baseline. He also remained calm in saving a set point on his serve down 4-5 in the second set and again at 5-6. Nerves got the better of Pella with a double fault on his first match point up 6/3 in the second-set tie-break, but a backhand sent wide by Dimitrov in the next point wrapped up play after one hour and 55 minutes.

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The win gives the Argentine his first victory over a Top 15 player since defeating then-No. 11 John Isner at the Rio Open presented by Claro in February 2016. Pella has come alive in recent weeks, winning a round at the BNP Paribas Open and reaching the quarter-finals at the Brasil Open.

Next up for Pella is Nicolas Mahut, a 6-4, 5-7, 6-4 winner over 23^rd seed Steve Johnson. Neither Mahut or Pella have reached the round of 16 at an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event.

Thirteenth seed Jack Sock received a berth into the third round after Yoshihito Nishioka was forced to retire due to a left knee injury. The American trailed 2-4 in the opening set before Nishioka was unable to continue. Next up for Sock is Jiri Vesely, who prevailed in a marathon encounter over 19^th seed Albert Ramos-Vinolas 7-6(5), 4-6, 6-3.

In a match filled with twists and turns, 25th seed Fernando Verdasco defeated #NextGenATP American Ernesto Escobedo 7-6(6), 7-5. Verdasco saved five set points in the first-set tie-break, fighting back from 3/6, 6/7 and 8/9 before converting on his second set point. The Spaniard was unable to serve out the match at 5-3 in the second set, but regrouped to take the win in one hour and 47 minutes. His reward is a third-round clash with second seed Kei Nishikori. 

Fifth seed Rafael Nadal received a rousing welcome on Friday at the Miami Open presented by Itau and lived up to his seeding on Stadium Court, moving past Dudi Sela 6-3, 6-4 to reach the third round.

The Spaniard saved both break points he faced and required just a single break of serve in each set to advance in one hour and 21 minutes. Nadal continues his dominance against Sela, boosting his FedEx ATP Head2Head record against the Israeli player to 2-0 and dropping just 13 games in the five sets they’ve played.

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Nadal is eager to clinch his first title in Miami after finishing runner-up here on four occasions (2005, 2008, 2011, 2014). He’ll now play 26^th seed Philipp Kohlschreiber, a winner earlier in the day over #NextGenATP player Taylor Fritz. Although Nadal leads his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Kohlschreiber 13-1, the German has taken a set in six of their seven hard-court meetings.

Federico Delbonis caused one of the biggest upsets of the day in rallying to defeat 15^th seed Pablo Carreno Busta 1-6, 7-5, 6-2. The Argentine was down a set and 1-3 before beginning his astonishing comeback to claim victory in one hour and 44 minutes.

Benoit Paire got on a hot streak with his forehand to defeat 21^st seed Pablo Cuevas. The Frenchman missed a chance to serve out the opening set at 5-4, but regrouped by winning the next eight games to take the match. Paire improves his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Cuevas to 3-0 and has yet to drop a set to him.

Kei Nishikori got his Miami Open presented by Itau campaign off to a flying start on Friday, advancing through his opening match 6-4 6-3 over a tricky opponent in Kevin Anderson.

The second seed didn’t face a break point in the contest and won 88 per cent of his first-serve points. Nishikori broke Anderson three times, including in the final game of the match, to secure victory in one hour and 28 minutes. He improves his FedEx ATP Head2Head against Anderson to 3-1, gaining revenge from losing their most recent match at the Shanghai Rolex Masters in 2015.

“I thought it was a great match to start the tournament. Played really solid. Everything was almost perfect. I’m very happy with the tennis today,” said Nishikori. “Hopefully every match is going to be like that.”

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Nishikori has excelled in Miami in recent years. In addition to finishing runner-up last year (l. Djokovic), he has not lost before the quarter-finals in his past three appearances.

Next up for the Japanese star is the winner between 25^th seed Fernando Verdasco and #NextGenATP player Ernesto Escobedo. Nishikori is even in his FedEx ATP Head2Head with Verdasco at 2-2, but has won their past two matches.

“I’ve been practising with Escobedo a couple of times. Very powerful player. He can hit very hard from the forehand and backhand, so he can be a dangerous player,” said Nishikori. “Verdasco has been playing very good the past couple of months. He’s always a tough player and has a lot of experience. It’s going to be a tough one.”

#NextGenATP player Jared Donaldson caused an upset by taking out 28^th seed Mischa Zverev 6-4, 6-4. The American qualifier, currently No. 95 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, will get a prime time close-up when he plays third seed Raonic in the third round.

Fabio Fognini came out on top in a battle of spins and slices over No. 30 seed Joao Sousa 7-6(8), 2-6, 6-3. The Italian saved two set points in the opening set tie-break before eventually taking the match in two hours and 23 minutes. Fognini now plays Jeremy Chardy, who took out seventh seed Marin Cilic earlier in the day, for a place in the second week.

Most of us don’t get the chance to meet our tennis idols, let alone play them, but #NextGenATP player Denis Shapovalov did one better and defeated them. 

The teenager prevailed 6-3, 6-3 in an all-Canadian battle against good friend and second seed Vasek Pospisil at the $50,000 ATP Challenger Tour event in Guadalajara, Mexico. Shapovalov remained in control of the baseline rallies throughout their second-round match to advance in 73 minutes.

“It’s similar to when I played Felix Auger-Aliassime in Drummondville. You feel bad after the match because you wish the best for them,” said Shapovalov about playing against a friend. “Vasek just beat Andy Murray the other week, so he easily should be in the Top 50. But when you’re in the match, you’re both trying to win. It was still fun for me to have a chance to see how my game matched up to his.

“Vasek was one of my idols growing up. I always wanted to be like him and play like him,” he added. “To have gotten so close to him on tour and have all the advice he’s given me on and off court, how to manage myself as a player and deal with things, has been really important and helpful for me.”

Shapovalov is riding a wave of confidence after capturing his first Challenger title last week in front of a home crowd in Drummondville, Canada. The 17-year-old stormed through the draw without losing a set and his stellar week pushed him inside the Top 200 of the Emirates ATP Rankings for the first time.

“It’s incredible to have won my first Challenger on home soil. It’s a big confidence boost and I think I’m playing some great tennis,” said Shapovalov. “The first round here in Guadalajara was very tough for me. It’s difficult going from indoor hard courts to outdoor ones, dealing with the wind and the altitude, but hopefully I can keep playing well.”

Next up for Shapovalov in Guadalajara is a quarter-final match against qualifier Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain. He’s eager to pick up his second Challenger title on Sunday and then begin preparing for the clay-court season.

“It’s been an incredible tournament so far. A lot of people have come out to watch the matches, which is important for me because I love playing in front of people,” said Shapovalov. “It’s a nice city and the venue is amazing, so I’m really happy to be here.”

Philipp Petzschner gave himself the perfect 33^rd birthday present at the Miami Open presented by Itau, teaming up with Alexander Peya to oust BNP Paribas Open champions Raven Klaasen and Rajeev Ram 6-3, 7-5 on Friday.

As a reward for defeating the fifth seeds, Petzschner/Peya advance to the second round to face the winners of Dominic Thiem/Nenad Zimonjic and brothers Alexander Zverev/Mischa Zverev.

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Daniel Nestor and Brian Baker edged past Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic 6-7(3), 7-6(4), 11-9. They will take on second seeds Pierre-Hugues Herbert and Nicolas Mahut or the pairing of Dominic Inglot and Florin Mergea in the second round.

Marin Cilic overcame disappointment in the singles to partner his countryman Nikola Mektic to a fighting 3-6, 6-3, 10-7 win over Argentinian duo Diego Schwartzman and Horacio Zeballos.