Del Potro, Zverev Feature In Friday’s Miami SFs

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

[5] Juan Martin del Potro (ARG) vs [14] John Isner (USA)
Del Potro Leads FedEx ATP Head2Head series 6-3
Stadium – Start 1 p.m.

Big hitting is assured first up as in-form Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro squares off against American John Isner in the first Miami Open presented by Itau semi-final.

If Del Potro and Isner’s previous clashes are anything to go by, Friday’s encounter will be tight. While Del Potro leads their FedEx ATP Head2Head 6-3, Isner has won three of their past five meetings. On the indoor hard of the Rolex Paris Masters, in November 2017, Isner won 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-4 for a place in his 11th ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-final. Read Report & Watch Hot Shot

As Miami action gets to the business end, Del Potro puts his 15-match winning streak on the line. The 29-year-old also looks to maintain his form in the hope of completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ — winning the Indian Wells and Miami trophies back-to-back. Should he do so he will rise to a career-high of No. 3.

Isner, already assured of becoming the No. 1 American on Monday, will return to the Top 10 for the first time since 5 May 2014 (No. 10) with an equal or better finish than fellow semi-finalist Pablo Carreno Busta.

Del Potro is off to a 21-3 start on the season, including title at the Abierto Mexicano Telcel presentado por HSBC (d. Anderson) and his first at ATP World Tour Masters 1000 level at the recent BNP Paribas Open (saved three championship points vs. Federer). The 32-year-old Isner is aiming to reach his fourth Masters 1000 final (2012 Indian Wells, 2013 Cincinnati, 2016 Paris).

Fifth seed and 6’6” Del Potro last reached the Miami semi-finals in 2009 (l. to Murray), while 6’10” and No. 14 seed Isner did so three years ago (l. to Djokovic).

[16] Pablo Carreno Busta (ESP) vs [4] Alexander Zverev (GER)
First FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting
Stadium – 7 p.m.

The second semi-final pits the aggressive and fluent Alexander Zverev against the patient and consistent baseline game of Carreno Busta for their first FedEx ATP Head2Head meeting.

Having won five straight sets at Crandon Park, fourth seed Zverev will today look to improve to 3-0 in ATP World Tour Masters 1000 semi-finals. Victories over Daniil Medvedev, No. 28 seed David Ferrer, No. 17 seed Nick Kyrgios and No. 29 seed Borna Coric have highlighted the German’s growing confidence and now he sets his sights on beating No. 16 seed Carreno Busta.

So far in Miami, the 26-year-old Carreno Busta has completed routine wins over Denis Istomin, Steve Johnson and Fernando Verdasco. He saved one match point to defeat World No. 8 Kevin Anderson in the quarter-finals on Thursday (now 2-21 lifetime versus Top 10 in the ATP Rankings).

While the 20-year-old Zverev lifted trophies at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia in Rome and the Rogers Cup in Montreal last year, Spaniard Carreno Busta will draw upon his experience of contesting his first Masters 1000 semi-final at 2017 Indian Wells.

Watch Thursday’s Miami Highlights