Three to See, Miami Open Day 10: Alcaraz vs. Kecmanovic; Osaka vs. Bencic; Medvedev vs. Hurkacz
Will the Osaka revenge tour continue Thursday in the Miami Open semifinals against an opponent who has won their past three encounters?
HIGHLIGHTS: Alcaraz defeats Tsitsipas in fourth round
Carlos Alcaraz vs. Miomir Kecmanovic
You know about the rise of Alcaraz, but you might not have heard much about Kecmanovic, other than the fact that he’s being coached by David Nalbandian. The Serb’s recent sure has been impressive in its own right. He made the fourth round at the Australian Open; beat Matteo Berrettini on his way to the quarterfinals at Indian Wells; and has beaten Felix Auger Aliassime and Taylor Fritz to reach the quarters in Miami. An impressive list, but none of those guys are flying quite as high as Alcaraz is at the moment. These two have never played, so we don’t know how their games will interact. They’re both big-hitting baseliners, they both do the most damage with their forehands, and they both can hit a variety of shots. But Alcaraz should have the Miami crowd, and if he plays anything like he did in his explosive victory over Stefanos Tsitsipas on Tuesday, he’ll find a way to win again. Winner: Alcaraz
Naomi Osaka vs. Belinda Bencic
Will the Osaka revenge tour continue? First she turned the tables on Angelique Kerber, who had beaten her four straight times. Now she’ll try to do the same against Bencic, who has beaten her in their last three meetings. Two of those matches were on hard courts, but they were all pre-pandemic. So far neither woman has dropped a set in Miami, though Osaka has faced better competition, including Kerber and Danielle Collins. Osaka seems to be on an upswing right now, and playing as if she has something to prove again. The chance to prove she can beat Bencic, and reach her first final since the 2021 Australian Open, should be sufficiently motivating. Winner: Osaka
Daniil Medvedev vs. Hubert Hurkacz
Medvedev and Hurkacz have played three times, and all three matches have been competitive. Hurkacz upset Medvedev in five sets at Wimbledon last year, before the Russian came back to win 7-6 in third in Canada, and 6-4 in the third at the ATP Finals. Medvedev is currently ranked eight spots ahead of Hurkacz, but it’s not a big surprise that these matches are close. Both guys are long and rangy—Medvedev is 6-foot-6, Hurkacz 6-foot-5—both can dominate with their serves, and both feel the ball well and move well for tall guys. And while Medvedev is the higher-ranked player, Hurkacz is the defending champion in Miami. Winner: Medvedev
