Champion Mensik, Medvedev dumped out of Miami Open
Frances Tiafoe returns a shot on his way to defeating defending champion Jakub Mensik at the Miami Open (Rich Storry) Defending champion Jakub Mensik was bundled out of the Miami Open on Monday, losing a gruelling three-set battle against 19th seed Frances Tiafoe 7-6 (7/4), 4-6, 7-6 (13/11). A 2hr 55min third-round slug-fest in searing late afternoon heat was decided by a marathon third set tiebreak when Czech 20-year-old Mensik saved six match points before finally succumbing at the Hard Rock Stadium. US hope Tiafoe, who himself saved two match points in the final tiebreak, sealed victory after converting his seventh match point when a Mensik return of serve drifted wide.
Tiafoe will face France's Terence Atmane in the last 16. Atmane powered into the fourth round with a 6-3, 1-6, 6-3 upset of Canadian seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime on Monday. Auger-Aliassime joined a lengthening list of seeds who have stumbled in the early rounds in Miami that includes Indian Wells runner-up Daniil Medvedev, who was shown the door earlier Monday in a 6-0, 4-6, 7-5 loss to Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo.
Medvedev looked to be heading for a brisk exit after 18th seed Cerundolo raced through the first set in just over 20 minutes. But Medvedev rallied in the second to level the match, and there was little to choose between the two in the deciding set. Cerundolo held to take a 6-5 lead and then scored the decisive break to clinch victory when Medvedev double-faulted on match point.
"It was a great match, super tough," Cerundolo said. "It was my first match against Daniil. He's probably one of the only guys on Tour who I have never played.
"I didn't know what to expect. He has had a great year so far, so I didn't expect to be up 6-0 in the first set and a break up in the second. He started playing super good.