Top seeds Lukasz Kubot/Marcelo Melo broke three times to return to the Miami Open presented by Itau semi-finals on Wednesday. Kubot/Melo, 2017 champions, swept fifth seeds Oliver Marach/Mate Pavic 7-6(5), 7-5 and will meet Bob Bryan/Mike Bryan in the last four.

The Bryans, five-time Miami champions, saved the only break point they faced and dismissed Rohan Bopanna/Denis Shapovalov 6-3, 6-4.

In the other semi-final, Ivan Dodig/Edouard Roger-Vasselin will meet Wesley Koolhof/Stefanos Tsitsipas. Dodig/Roger-Vasselin beat Maximo Gonzalez/Horacio Zeballos 6-3, 7-6(6), and Koolhof/Tsitsipas knocked out John Isner/Sam Querrey 6-4, 5-7, 10-8.

Denis Shapovalov is looking to join fellow Canadian teen Felix Auger-Aliassime in shattering his career-best ATP Ranking when he takes on American Frances Tiafoe in an all #NextGenATP Miami Open quarter-final showdown Thursday.

The 19-year-old left-hander entered the second ATP Masters 1000 tennis tournament of the year at a career-high No. 23. But a run to his third Masters 1000 semi-final would see him leapfrog Kyle Edmund, Pablo Carreno Busta and David Goffin to crack the Top 20 for the first time.

Tiafoe, who at No. 34 will already threaten his career-high mark of No. 29 by reaching the quarter-finals, would likely climb into the low 20s should he reach the semis.

Auger-Aliassime, 18, who already was certain to become the first player born in the 2000s to crack the Top 50, is guaranteed to move into the mid or low 30s after beating Borna Coric Wednesday night to reach the Miami Open semi-finals. He could push inside the Top 30 by reaching the final and possibly inside the Top 20 with the title.

It’s a stunning rise for the teen, who just six weeks ago was ranked outside the Top 100. Despite reaching the Indian Wells third round, Auger-Aliassime had to qualify here in Miami. He will play defending champion John Isner in Friday’s semi-finals.

Roger Federer will guarantee a move to No. 4 from his current ranking of No. 5 if he beats Kevin Anderson in Thursday’s quarter-finals. Regardless of the outcome, the Swiss will go to No. 4 unless Anderson wins the title.

Playing his first tournament since the Australian Open, Anderson would move to a career-high No. 4 if he wins his first Masters 1000 title.

Reigning Next Gen ATP champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, who fell to Shapovalov in the fourth round, will climb one place higher to a career-high No. 9 unless John Isner successfully defends the Miami title.

Isner defeated Roberto Bautista Agut Wednesday after winning his seventh consecutive tie-break at this year’s event to reach the semi-finals. Isner will hold onto the No. 9 spot – but climb no higher – if he takes the title.

He’s only 18, but he’s already rewriting the history books at the Miami Open presented by Itau. #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime became the youngest Miami semi-finalist in the tournament’s 35-year history on Wednesday.

The qualifier, who played an ATP Challenger Tour event two months ago, beat 11^th seed Borna Coric of Croatia 7-6(3), 6-2 to set up a final-four matchup against defending champion John Isner. The American beat Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain 7-6(1), 7-6(5).

Auger-Aliassime’s success, including his straight-sets win against the 22-year-old Coric, has surprised the teenager from Montreal.

“Playing Borna, who’s been established for a few years now, I definitely didn’t expect to win. I expected more, a set like in the first. But the second really surprised me. I felt like I had margin over him, had a bit of an edge. I just felt really comfortable out there from the first balls,” he said.

The Canadian has played five matches against players inside the Top 20 of the ATP Rankings, and he’s won all five, a streak No. 9 Isner will try to break when they meet for the first time.

Auger-Aliassime was already the youngest quarter-finalist in Miami history since Andy Roddick, 18, in 2001, and the first player born in the 2000s to make an ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. But now he stands alone in Miami.

He is, however, far from the only #NextGenATP player making noise in South Florida. Compatriot Denis Shapovalov, 19, and American Frances Tiafoe, 21, will compete for another semi-final spot on Thursday afternoon.

“Everyone is super excited back home. It’s great to hear all these good comments from them. It puts a lot of belief in tennis in Canada,” Auger-Aliassime said.

Teenagers To Reach QF Or Better In Miami Open History (since 1985)

The last time two teenagers reached the quarter-finals or better in Miami was in 2007 with Novak Djokovic (won) and Andy Murray (QF), both 19.

“It’s a privilege to be compared to all these great players. I think it just shows that I’m doing good things, I’m on the right track,” Auger-Aliassime said. “But I think I’m seeing the long term, and right now I’m just enjoying every day, enjoying every match, because you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Coric was playing in his sixth ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final, and Auger-Aliassime, his first, but the Canadian was more poised and in control. The two exchanged baseline rallies throughout the opener, with Auger-Aliassime often taking charge.

But Coric, who made the Rolex Shanghai Masters final last October (l. to Djokovic) stayed with Auger-Aliassime, until the tie-break, when he came undone. Coric double faulted for the first time in the match and badly missed a backhand on set point.

Read More: Felix’s Philosophy: ‘I’m Not Scared Of Losing | Read & Watch: Get To Know Auger-Aliassime And His Family

The second set mirrored the tie-break, as Coric, who hit 38 unforced errors to 16 winners, was broken to start the set when he dumped a backhand into the net. Auger-Aliassime broke once more to roll into the final four.

Did You Know?
Auger-Aliassime is projected to crack the Top 35 of the ATP Rankings on Monday when the new rankings are released.

John Isner has repeatedly dismissed the idea that he will defend his Miami Open presented by Itau title. His reasoning: He’s won only one ATP Masters 1000 title during his 13-year career. The seventh seed, however, might just prove himself wrong this week.

Isner reached his third Miami semi-final (2015, 2018) on Wednesday evening, beating Novak Djokovic’s conqueror Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(1), 7-6(5) at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.

Isner moved into his 12^th ATP Masters 1000 semi-final, and he’ll face the winner between #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime and 11^th seed Borna Coric of Croatia for a place in his fifth final at the prestigious level.

Isner’s most recent Masters 1000 semi-final – and final – came here in South Florida a year ago, when he beat Argentine Juan Martin del Potro and Alexander Zverev of Germany to win his maiden Masters 1000 crown.

Isner did it by playing clutch in tie-breaks, and he’s following a similar script this fortnight. Isner has won his past 10 matches in Miami, and during that stretch, he’s 10-1 in tie-breaks, including 7-0 this year.

The World No. 9 missed his only chance to break in the first set when Bautista Agut dipped a forehand pass that Isner netted. The Spaniard, however, donated a double fault at 1/5 and Isner finished the tie-break with his 13^th ace.

The 33-year-old Isner was the clear aggressor, striking big from the back of the court and looking to come forward. Bautista Agut, meanwhile, was more content hanging out at the baseline and trying to move Isner from side to side.

The Spaniard did much of his damage from the back of the court on Tuesday during his upset win against No. 1 Djokovic, the second time he’s beaten the Serbian this season (Doha). And the Spaniard fought off Isner’s threats well, saving two break points at 4-4 in the second set.

Bautista Agut had a set point on Isner’s serve at 5-6, 30/40, his first break point of the match, but the American erased it with an ace. The Spaniard, however, maintained the momentum and led the tie-break 3/0, including two points won on Isner’s serve. But for the second match this tournament (Edmund), Isner overcame a double mini-break deficit to advance.

Did You Know?
Isner and Frances Tiafoe are the first American duo to reach the Miami quarter-finals in the same year since 2008 when Tournament Director James Blake (QF) and Andy Roddick (SF) accomplished the feat.

Quarter-final action kicks off on Wednesday at the Miami Open presented by Itau and the two singles matches on the roster provide markedly different forms of entertainment. Two established veterans square off in the day session and a pair of rising stars will battle at night, while a rain-delayed fourth-round clash between Roger Federer and Daniil Medvedev is also on the schedule.

Who will win the latest @FedEx #ATP Head2Head clash between these two?

— ATP Tour (@ATP_Tour) March 27, 2019

Seventh seed and defending champion John Isner looks to end the inspired run of No. 22 seed Roberto Bautista Agut. Isner leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head 2-1, but they haven’t played in more than three years. The American has successfully handled the pressure of defending his first ATP Masters 1000 title by moving through his first three rounds without dropping a set. Perhaps unsurprisingly, five of his six sets won this fortnight ended in a tie-break.

Bautista Agut continued his inspired start to 2019 by ousting top seed Novak Djokovic in the fourth round, marking his second win of the year over the World No. 1. The Spaniard opened this season by winning the Qatar ExxonMobil Open (d. Berdych) and reaching his first Grand Slam quarter-final at the Australian Open (l. To Tsitsipas). He’s now one win away from his third Masters 1000 semi-final.

The other quarter-final will see #NextGenATP Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime against No. 11 seed Borna Coric of Croatia. Auger-Aliassime came through qualifying in Miami and it’s unlikely he’ll need to do that again anytime soon. The 18-year-old has racked up quality wins to reach his first Masters 1000 quarter-final, including No. 17 seed Nikoloz Basilashvili on Tuesday for his third Top 20 victory.

It’s hard to believe that Auger-Aliassime was playing ATP Challenger Tour events just two months ago. His inspired run over the past six weeks includes his first tour-level final at the Rio Open presented by Claro (l. to Djere) and first Top 10 win over Stefanos Tsitsipas at the BNP Paribas Open. On Monday, he’ll become the first player born in the 2000s to crack the Top 50 of the ATP Rankings.

Coric has done it the hard way this fortnight by winning all of his matches in three sets. In fact, he’s dropped a set in his past seven victories this year. The World No. 13 has been reaping the rewards of his hard work in the off-season and is the on-paper favourite against the Canadian, but fitness could play a factor if he’s forced to go three sets once again.

Fourth-round play concludes in the first men’s singles match on Stadium. Federer meets Medvedev, who is tied first with Tsitsipas for most match wins (17) on the ATP Tour in 2019. The Russian is 1-10 lifetime against Top 10 opponents with his lone win coming over Federer’s countryman Stan Wawrinka, in June 2017 at Wimbledon.

ORDER OF PLAY – WEDNESDAY, 27 MARCH 2019

STADIUM start 1:00 pm
WTA SINGLES

Not Before 3:00 pm
ATP – [13] Daniil Medvedev (RUS) vs [4] Roger Federer (SUI)
ATP – [22] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) vs [7] John Isner (USA)

Not Before 7:00 pm
WTA SINGLES

Not Before 9:00 pm
[Q] Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) vs [11] Borna Coric (CRO)

GRANDSTAND start 1:00 pm

[1] Lukasz. Kubot (POL) / Marcelo Melo (BRA) vs [5] Oliver Marach (AUT) / Mate Pavic (CRO)
Ivan Dodig (CRO) / Edouard Roger-Vasselin (FRA) vs Maximo Gonzalez (ARG) / Horacio Zeballos (ARG)

Not Before 4:00 pm
[3] Bob Bryan (USA) / Mike Bryan (USA) vs Rohan Bopanna (IND) / Denis Shapovalov (CAN)
After Suitable Rest – John Isner (USA) / Sam Querrey (USA) vs Wesley Koolhof (NED) / Stefanos Tsitsipas (GRE)

Missed Tuesday’s Action? Watch Highlights