Five-times champion Novak Djokovic overcame a first-set spill to beat unseeded Joao Sousa of Portugal 6-4 6-1 in the third round at the Miami Open in Florida, yesterday.

The world number one fell on his left side while hitting a forehand on the baseline and his shot went into the net to allow Sousa to pull even at 4-4.

But Djokovic was not injured and he dusted himself off and won eight out of the next nine games in a 77-minute match. The Serb is vying to match Andre Agassi’s tournament record of six wins in Key Biscayne.

“That first set came down to a few points,” said Djokovic after improving to 24-1 in 2016.

“After that, it was quite a good performance. In the second set I felt much more comfortable. I was serving very well the entire day.

“I’m glad that I managed to finish the match the way I did. Obviously, it gives me confidence for the next one.”

Djokovic landed 86 per cent of first serves in the second set and dropped only three points on serve.

He will meet Dominic Thiem in the next round after the Austrian defeated Japanese qualifier Yoshihito Nishioka 6-2 6-2.

Argentine Horacio Zeballos, who received a second chance when Roger Federer withdrew because of a virus, continued to make the most of his good fortune. He rebounded to beat Spain’s Fernando Verdasco 1-6 6-4 7-6.

In the women’s tournament in Miami, second seed Angelique Kerber advanced to the fourth round when Dutch qualifier Kiki Bertens was forced to retire in the third set.

Bertens dominated the world number three in the opening set, but the 24-year-old became unwell early in the second set and was forced to take a medical time-out.

She eventually retired with an illness in the final set to hand Kerber a 1-6 6-2 3-0 win on another steamy day in south Florida.

“I think Kiki’s a great player,” Australian Open champion Kerber said in her on-court interview.

“She played very well in the first set and I was not finding my rhythm at the beginning. For me, it’s not so easy. But I’m trying to focus on my game.”

Kerber now plays Timea Babos, who beat Japan’s Naomi Osaka 7-5 6-0.

Late news

• Serena Williams’ bid for a ninth Miami Open title came to shock end when the world number one was beaten 6-7(3) 6-1 6-2 in the fourth round by 15th-seeded Russian Svetlana Kuznetsova last night. The loss on the Miami hardcourts was the first since 2012 for Williams, who had swept the last three titles.

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