Top seed Stan stunned

Miami, March 29 

Top seed Stan Wawrinka crashed out of the Miami Open, falling 4-6 6-2 6-1 to German young gun Alexander Zverev. Zverev’s win earned him his first place in a Masters 1000 quarterfinal and he will face Australian Nick Kyrgios, who beat Belgian David Goffin 7-6(5) 6-3.

Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and Kei Nishikori advanced to the quarterfinals on cue. Federer had to work hard for his victory against 14th seed Roberto Bautista Agut, emerging with a 7-6(5) 7-6(4) win to set up a last eight meeting with 10th-seeded Czech Tomas Berdych.

Nadal beat France’s Nicolas Mahut 6-4 7-6(4) in a tightly fought contest. Second seed Nishikori survived a second set scare against Argentine Federico Delbonis en route to a 6-3 4-6 6-3.

Czech second seed Karolina Pliskova will face Caroline Wozniacki in the women’s semifinals. A confident Pliskova ended the hopes of veteran Mirjana Lucic-Baroni with a 6-3 6-4 win, while Wozniacki dispatched Lucie Safarova 6-4 6-3. — AFP