The Baseline Top 5: Miami Open surprises

With the sheer depth in the professional game, it’s hard to pin down who will come through at any tournament. And with the multiple upsets that have taken place the past week, the Miami Open is no exception.

Here’s a look at some of the surprise results over the course of event, one of the most prestigious on both tours.

1

"Fedal I" Goes in the Teen’s Favor

In their first-ever encounter, 17-year-old Rafael Nadal beat two-time major titlist Roger Federer in straight sets in the third round.

2

Nadal and Sharapova Strike Out

Despite that early accomplishment, Nadal has yet to win the Miami Open, going 0-for-5 in title bouts. An all-time great on the women’s side, Maria Sharapova, has also been denied as she’s lost all four of her appearances in the finals.

3

The Hometown Hero

Having captured his first title in more than a year at the 1991 Indian Wells tournament, Florida’s Jim Courier continued his winning ways through to the next event, triumphing in his home state, which helped him crack the Top 10 for the first time.

4

A Triumphant Return

After missing most of 2004 due to a career-threatening injury, Kim Clijsters returned to the tour the following year and won the title at Indian Wells, ranked No. 133 at the time. She carried that momentum with her to Florida and completed the “Sunshine Double,” becoming the second woman to do so after Steffi Graf. Clijsters also was the first unseeded women’s winner of the tournament.

5

An Aussie Rules

Federer’s stay at the 2018 Miami Open, where he was the defending champion, was surprisingly short: The Swiss star dropped his opening match at the tournament to young Australian Thanasi Kokkinakis in a third-set tiebreak for one of the event’s biggest upsets.

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