Jack Sock has continued his stellar start to 2017 with a quarterfinal trip in Miami, but now it is Rafael Nadal who stands in his way on Wednesday. Kei Nishikori and Fabio Fognini are also aiming for a place in the semis.
(5) Rafael Nadal vs. (13) Jack Sock
Nadal and Sock will be going head-to-head for the third time in their careers when they clash in the quarterfinals of the Miami Open on Wednesday night. Both of their previous encounters have gone Nadal’s way–6-3, 6-1, 5-7, 6-2 at the 2015 French Open and 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 a few months later on the hard courts of Beijing. The sixth-ranked Spaniard is still flying high two years later, and his 2017 campaign would be even better if not for losses to Roger Federer in Melbourne and Indian Wells. Nadal, who is through to the last eight thanks to defeats of Dudi Sela, Philipp Kohlschreiber, and Nicolas Mahut, is 17-4 and has lost to the eventual champion in three of four tournaments.
As good as Nadal’s record is this year, Sock’s is superior. The red-hot American is 18-3 with titles in Auckland and Delray Beach, a big reason why he registers at a career-high 17th in the rankings and will likely climb to No. 15 even if he loses on Wednesday. Sock has advanced so far this fortnight by taking out Yoshihito Nishioka (via retirement), Jiri Vesely, and Jared Donaldson. It must be said that the No. 13 seed has been fortunate in Miami, as Nishioka was up a break when he sustained a knee injury and Milos Raonic gave Donaldson a third-round walkover due to a hamstring issue. This is where Sock’s favorable draw ends, but it has never been easy for Nadal in this matchup and this story will likely be a similar one.
Pick: Nadal in 2 with at least one tiebreaker
Fabio Fognini vs. (2) Kei Nishikori
As is often the case with Nishikori, the outcome of this one will likely be dictated by his health–or lack thereof. The world No. 4 from Japan fought past Federico Delbonis on Tuesday, recovering from a break down in the third set to prevail 6-3, 4-6, 6-3. However, Nishikori received treatment for an apparent knee issue on multiple occasions and he admitted afterward that it was a “tough condition.”
Up next for the second seed on Wednesday is a third career showdown against Fognini, who is 0-2 in the head-to-head series. Nishikori got the job done 6-1, 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-4 at the 2011 Australian Open and 6-2, 3-6, 7-5 on the clay courts of Madrid last spring. Fognini has been his typically mercurial self in 2017, covering all spectrums in terms of his form. The 40th-ranked Italian won only two matches in his first four tournaments but clinched a Davis Cup victory for Italy (in five sets over Argentina’s Guido Pella), upset Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at the Indian Wells Masters, and has been no-nonsense in Miami with defeats of Ryan Harrison, Joao Sousa, Jeremy Chardy, and Donald Young. Fognini looks strong enough both physically and mentally right now to capitalize if Nishikori is less than 100 percent.
Pick: Fognini in 3
The post Miami QF previews and predictions: Nadal vs. Sock, Nishikori vs. Fognini appeared first on The Grandstand.