Top seed Daniil Medvedev moved a step closer to reclaiming the world number one ranking as he beat Spaniard Pedro Martinez 6-3 6-4 on Monday to reach the last 16 at the Miami Open while Naomi Osaka cruised into the quarter-finals of the women's draw.
Medvedev, who can replace Novak Djokovic on top of the world rankings if he reaches the Miami semifinals, fired down 14 aces, won 79 per cent of his first-serve points and broke Martinez three times to secure victory in 84 minutes.
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"I just felt like I had to be more consistent, and the more consistent one today would win," Medvedev said.
"I managed to just make a few less errors at important moments, serve even better, and it was a small margin but I managed to win and I'm really happy," he added.
Up next for the Russian, who lost his world number one ranking after a surprise third-round loss at Indian Wells two weeks ago, will be American Jenson Brooksby, who earned a 6-3 5-7 6-4 win against Spanish 15th seed Roberto Bautista Agut.
Spanish 14th seed Carlos Alcaraz will meet Stefanos Tsitsipas after both enjoyed straight-set wins over Marin Cilic and Alex de Minaur respectively.
The 18-year-old Alcaraz beat Tsitsipas in their only previous meeting, a five-set thriller at last year's U.S. Open.
"He is a great player," the Greek third seed said of Alcaraz.
"For me it will be a great challenge, the ones that I like."
Indian Wells champion Taylor Fritz dispatched fellow American Tommy Paul 7-6(2) 6-4 and will meet Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic, a 7-6(4) 6-3 winner over Sebastian Korda.
Fritz said it is all about managing expectations.
"I didn't really think about winning Indian Wells until I had match point in the final," he said.
"So I'm approaching this one the same way. I don't expect to win the tournament, but I take it one match at a time, and you never know."
OSAKA SERVES UP WIN
Japan's Osaka reached the quarterfinals for a second consecutive year with a 6-3, 6-4 win over American Alison Riske during which she won 70 per cent of her first-serve points and recovered after falling behind 2-0 in the second set.
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Osaka, after the match, expressed how she is in a different state of mind than last year when arriving at the Miami Open ranked second after winning the Australian Open. "It's really funny for me because last year I made it to the (Miami) quarters too but it was after I won Australia and I wasn't that grateful, I kind of expected to win," said Osaka.
"But I'm in the same position this year and I am so like, this is really like one of the funnest times of my life," she added.
Standing between four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka and a first Miami semifinal spot will be ninth-seeded Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins, who beat Tunisian eighth seed Ons Jabeur 6-2, 6-4.
Poland's new world number one Iga Swiatek eased past 14th seed Coco Gauff 6-3 6-1 and will next face Petra Kvitova after the Czech defeated Veronika Kudermatova 7-6(5) 6-4 to reach the quarters.
Spanish fifth seed Paula Badosa beat 16-year-old wildcard Linda Fruhvirtova 6-2 6-3 and will next meet Jessica Pegula, who reached the Miami quarter-finals for the first time after Anhelina Kalinina retired while trailing 6-0.
Badosa, who won the Sydney title this year and reached the semis at Indian Wells, told reporters it had been a tough day.
"I didn't wake up feeling well so I didn't know if I'd be able to finish the match," she said. "I always say I want to be a fighter no matter what so that's what I did. I kept fighting and I don't really know how I won."
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