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The fourth day of action at the 2023 Miami Open on Friday (March 24) will feature 16 second-round matches.
The likes of top seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, ninth seed Taylor Fritz and 13th seed Alexander Zverev will be in action. Indian Wells winner Alcaraz is looking to become the first player since Novak Djokovic - absent in Miami this year - to win the Sunshine Double.
Without further ado, here's a look at the top five matches of the day at the Miami Open on Friday:
#1 Taylor Fritz vs Emilio Nava
Ninth seed Taylor Fritz will open his campaign for a second Masters 1000 title against wildcard Emilio Nava.
The World No. 10 Fritz is off to a strong 17-5 start to the year, including a title run in Delray Beach, two semifinals at Dallas and Acapulco respectively and a quarterfinals at Indian Wells. Meanwhile, World No. 182 Nava got off the mark for the year by beating compatriot John Isner in the first round.
The two players haven't met before, but Fritz should take this matchup.
Prediction: Fritz in straight sets.
#2 Carlos Alcaraz (defending Miami Open winner) vs Facundo Bagnis
Top seed Carlos Alcaraz will open his title defense against Facundo Bagnis as he looks to go back-to-back at the Miami Open.
The World No. 1 has lost just once in 15 matches this year, with that lone defeat coming in the Rio de Janeiro final against Cameron Norrie. Alcaraz has won titles in Buenos Aires and Indian Wells, the latter triumph returning him to World No. 1. Meanwhile, Bagnis got off the mark in 2023 on his sixth attempt by beating qualifier Felipe Meligeni Alves.
Alcaraz took their lone meeting in the 2022 Umag quarterfinals and should win again.
Prediction: Alcaraz in straight sets.
#3 Alexander Zverev vs Taro Daniel
Thirteenth seed Alexander Zverev will take on wildcard Taro Daniel in the second round at the Miami Open.
World No. 15 Zverev is 8-8 on the season, making the semifinals in Dubai and the Round of 16 at Indian Wells last week. Meanwhile, 97th-ranked Daniel improved to 7-4 in 2023 by beating Arthur Rinderknech in his opener.
The two players haven't met before, but the German should take this one.
Prediction: Zverev in straight sets.
#4 Andrey Rublev vs J.J. Wolf
Sixth seed Andrey Rublev will take on American J.J. Wolf in his opener at the Miami Open.
The World No. 7 Rublev is 11-7 in 2023, making the final in Dubai, the quarterfinals in Doha and the Round of 16 at Indian Wells last week. Meanwhile, the 50th-ranked Wolf beat Alexander Bublik in the first round to improve to 9-6.
Rublev took their lone meeting in the 2022 Washington DC quarterfinals and should prevail again.
Prediction: Rublev in straight sets.
#5 Jannik Sinner vs Laslo Djere
Tenth seed Jannik Sinner opens his campaign for a maiden Masters 1000 title at the Miami Open against Serbia's Laslo Djere.
The World No. 11 Sinner is 16-4 in 2023, including a title run in Montpellier, a final in Rotterdam and a semifinal at Indian Wells (lost to eventual winner Alcaraz). Meanwhile, World No. 58 Djere improved to 10-7 on the season by beating Aleksandar Vukic in the first round.
Djere leads their H2H 2-1, but Sinner took their lone meeting on hardcourt at Indian Wells last year and should win again.
Prediction: Sinner in straight sets.
