Raonic, Kyrgios Lock In QF Clash

Milos Raonic and Nick Kyrgios will duel it out for a place in their first Miami Open semi-final after both posted straight-sets victories in fourth-round action on Tuesday.

Raonic, the No. 12 seed, is through to his second straight ATP World Tour Masters 1000 quarter-final after romping to a 6-0, 6-3 victory over unseeded Bosnian Damir Dzumhur, while Kyrgios advanced 7-6(3), 6-3 over Russian Andrey Kuznetsov.

The 25-year-old Raonic dropped just six points on his first serve throughout, finishing with 11 aces. He never faced a break point in the 54-minute affair.

The result matches the Canadian’s best run in Miami; a quarter-final finish two years ago (l. Nadal). It continues an impressive start to his season in which he extends his record to 17-2, which includes a run to last week’s BNP Paribas Open final at Indian Wells.

Dzumhur, at No. 94 in the Emirates ATP Rankings, was one of six players making his Miami Open fourth-round debut. The 23 year old led No. 5 seed Nadal 2-6, 6-4, 3-0 before the Spaniard retired due to dizziness in the second round. It marked his first victory over a Top 10 opponent.

Kyrgios and Kuznetsov were also making their fourth-round Miami debuts but it was Kyrgios who would prevail on the back of 11 aces. The 20-year-old becomes the first Australian since Lleyton Hewitt to reach the quarter-finals in Miami 14 years ago and the youngest since Juan Martin del Potro in 2009.

The 25-year-old Kuznetsov had earlier downed No. 4 seed Stan Wawrinka in the second round and as a result of his fourth-round showing, will break into the Top 50 of the Emirates ATP Rankings on Monday. Raonic will carry a 2-1 FedEx Head2Head lead into his clash with Kyrgios.