Murray handed tough Miami draw

 

Originally published on: 19/03/13 00:00

With Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer absent, Murray and Novak Djokovic were kept in opposite halves of the Miami draw but both players will have to come through some difficult match-ups if there’s to be a repeat of the Australian Open final.

Playing in his city of residence, Murray will take on the winner of Australian Bernard Tomic and a qualifier in his opening match and if he can come through that early test top 25 players Andreas Seppi and Jerzy Janowicz, who Murray lost to at the Paris Masters last year, linger in his section.

Murray, who won the event in 2009, is in the same quarter as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga while two-time champion Djokovic shares his quarter with compatriot Janko Tipsarevic.

Indian Wells finalist Juan Martin del Potro will be looking to go one better on the East Coast. The Argentine is in the same quarter as world No.3 David Ferrer and his Australian Open conqueror Jeremy Chardy.

On the women’s side, Williams is bidding to surpass Steffi Graf’s haul of five Miami titles in her first tournament since reclaiming the world No.1 ranking. The American is in the same quarter as Li Na, who returns to action for the first time since rolling her ankle in the Australian Open final.

Questions still linger over Victoria Azarenka’s fitness but the Belarusian, who has yet to lose a match this year, was handed a relatively nice draw while defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska has her work cut out in the same quarter as Sloane Stephens, Venus Williams, Marion Bartoli, Petra Kvitova and Julia Goerges.

Indian Wells champion and world No.2 Maria Sharapova was placed in the same half as Azarenka, who the Russian leapfrogged in the rankings at the weekend, and in the same quarter as world No.8 Sara Errani.

Main draw action gets underway today.

Potential men’s quarter-finals:
No.1 Novak Djokovic v No.7 Janko Tipsarevic
No.2 Andy Murray v No.6 Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
No.3 David Ferrer v No.5 Juan Martin del Potro
No.4 Tomas Berdych v No.8 Richard Gasquet

Potential women’s quarter-finals:
No.1 Serena Williams v No.5 Li Na
No.2 Victoria Azarenka v No.6 Angelique Kerber
No.3 Maria Sharapova v No.8 Sara Errani
No.4 Agnieszka Radwanska v No.7 Petra Kvitova

Now get the WORLD’S BEST TENNIS MAGAZINE here