Isner Upsets Dimitrov in Miami

American John Isner notched a huge win on Monday at the Miami Open, beating ninth-seeded Grigor Dimitrov 7-6(2), 6-2 to reach the fourth-round. The 22nd-seeded Isner was dominant on serve, ripping 15 aces and saving the only two break points he faced to move past Dimitrov in straight sets.

“I was a little nervous at the beginning. I hadn’t played at night here; hadn’t played on center court yet,” said Isner. “Everything is different; the conditions are different. I wasn’t really going for my shots too much. After winning the first set, it’s a huge advantage for me. I relaxed a little bit … his errors combined with me gaining some confidence out there is what ultimately allowed me to win that second set.”

After coming out of the first set with a win, Isner was dominant in the second set. He won both break point chances he had and won 77 percent of his service points.

The victory puts him into the fourth-round and into a matchup with another big-server, Canada’s Milos Raonic. The fifth-seeded Raonic was taken to the brink by Frenchman Jeremy Chardy, eventually outlasting him for a 6-1, 5-7, 7-6(3) win.

“[Chardy] started playing more freely and I sort of went the other way,” Raonic said of Chardy’s comeback. “He played good the second set. I thought he played better than I did in the third set.”

Despite that, Raonic was still able to come out on top. He hit 20 aces and 39 winners to prevail.

World number one and top-seed Novak Djokovic cruised into the fourth-round on Monday. The Serb forced Belgian qualifier Steve Darcis into a first-set bagel and came out with a 6-0, 7-5 victory.

Seeking his fifth title in Miami, Djokovic will play Alexandr Dolgopolov next. The Ukrainian beat Thomaz Bellucci 7-5, 6-4 to advance on Monday.

Japan’s Kei Nishikori was the day’s first winner on the men’s side. The fourth-seeded Nishikori had no problem disposing of 32nd seed Viktor Troicki of Serbia with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.

“I was almost perfect on the court this morning,” said Nishikori. “It’s really exciting that I’m playing good here. Maybe he was hurting a little bit, but still I was giving him a lot of pressure with my return. “

Nishikori will face 19th-seeded David Goffin after the Belgian took out Jerzy Janowicz 6-4, 6-3.

Spaniard David Ferrer was also a winner on Monday as he edged out the 25th-seeded Lukas Rosol 6-4, 7-5. The seventh-seeded Ferrer will meet 12th-seeded Gilles Simon in the fourth-round after Simon ousted Alejandro Falla 6-3, 6-4.