Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev booked their place in the doubles final at the Miami Open presented by Itau, taking only 44 minutes to dismiss Americans Steve Johnson and Sam Querrey, 6-3, 6-1 on Thursday. Johnson and Querrey had marched into the semi-finals at the season’s second ATP World Tour Masters 1000 tournament without dropping a set.

The Russians competed at the inaugural Next Gen ATP Finals last November, alongside the top eight 21-and-under singles players, and have continued to grow in confidence. In singles, the 20-year-old Rublev opened his season with a runner-up finish in Doha (d. Monfils), while the 21-year-old Khachanov claimed the Marseille title last month (d. Pouille).

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In Miami, they teamed up to oust sixth seeds Jamie Murray and Bruno Soares and No. 3 seeds Oliver Marach and Mate Pavic. Khachanov and Rublev are playing in their fourth tour-level event together with their best result prior to this week a Round of 16 finish at the US Open.

In the final, they will face either four-time Miami champions Bob Bryan and Mike Bryan or Australian Open semi-finalists Ben McLachlan and Jan-Lennard Struff.

View FedEx ATP Head2Head for the following matches from the 2018 Miami Open presented by Itaú & vote for who you think will win! 
Zverev vs Coric | Anderson vs Carreno Busta

[4] A. Zverev (GER) vs [29] B. Coric (CRO)
Coric leads FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0
Stadium – 7 p.m.

Being the highest-ranked rising prospect, Alexander Zverev is well accustomed to being the hunted. That target only seems to grow when he’s coming up against a rival of a similar age. 

On Thursday, the No. 4 seed will face one such opponent when he takes on the in-form 21-year-old Borna Coric in the Miami Open presented by Itau quarter-finals. The soon-to-be 21-year-old Zverev has surged up the ATP Rankings at a much faster rate than his peers.

But Coric, his former junior rival, leads the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head series 2-0. An ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final is at stake and bragging rights again on offer.

“He’s improved a lot, making the semi-finals of Indian Wells, making the quarter-finals here already. I think he’s playing great ball. Hopefully it will be another entertaining one, and we’ll see how it goes,” Zverev said.

After struggling through three-set battles in his opening two matches – against 22-year-old Daniil Medvedev and former No. 3 in the ATP Rankings, David Ferrer – Zverev was all business when he faced Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round. The Aussie was contesting his first tournament since February 4, but had reached the semi-finals in Miami the previous two years. 

Zverev prevailed in straight sets to level the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head ledger at 3-3. Coric could well be a different prospect, carrying momentum from his first ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final in Indian Wells last week.

The Croatian will break into the Top 30 in the ATP Rankings on Monday after his fourth-round defeat of #NextGenATP Canadian Denis Shapovalov in the fourth round. It was a statement victory over a younger rival and his third straight three-set win after earlier triumphs against No. 8 seed Jack Sock and Leonardo Mayer.

In the most recent Zverev vs. Coric encounter, the Croatian prevailed in the second round of last year’s US Open. He had previously won when they squared off as 18-year-olds in Cincinnati in 2015 and for added measure, in the 2013 US Open junior semi-finals.

[16] P. Carreno Busta (ESP) vs [6] K. Anderson (RSA)
Anderson leads FedEx ATP Head2Head series 4-0
Stadium – Not Before 3 p.m.

Like Coric, sixth seed Kevin Anderson has never lost to his quarter-final opponent. The South African carries a 4-0 FedEx ATP Head2Head record into his clash with 16th seed Pablo Carreno Busta.
Anderson saw off the Spaniard to reach his first Grand Slam final at last year’s US Open and again last week to reach the quarter-finals in Indian Wells. He will be aiming for a maiden ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final berth as he looks to extend a solid 17-4 start to the season.

Carreno Busta has a second Masters 1000 semi-final in sight, having reached the last four in Indian Wells in 2017. He has been in ruthless form in Miami, dropping just 12 games in three matches, including a 6-0, 6-3 result over countryman Fernando Verdasco in the fourth round. Anderson needed three sets to see off Russian No. 32 seed Karen Khachanov before a convincing display to beat #NextGenATP American Frances Tiafoe.