Hurkacz aces second-round test

MIAMI • Hubert Hurkacz unleashed 17 aces to topple France's Arthur Rinderknech 7-6 (7-5), 6-2 and keep his title defence going at the Miami Open on Saturday, as world No. 2 Daniil Medvedev sent two-time winner Andy Murray packing while Naomi Osaka advanced on a walkover.

Rinderknech was unable to convert his sole break point in the first set and lost the momentum altogether after the tiebreak, as the 10th-ranked Pole won the first four games of the second set of their second-round clash.

Reigning US Open champion Medvedev never faced a break and proved too nimble for Scottish three-time Grand Slam winner Murray, dropping just two of his first-serve points in the second set as he won 6-4, 6-2.

"Playing against Andy is never easy," said the Russian, who is on a quest to regain his No. 1 ranking from the absent Novak Djokovic. "Managed to serve well, and I think that was one of the keys today."

If Medvedev reaches the semi-finals, he will regain the top spot.

"It felt good to touch it," he said. "Reaching No. 1 is something that nobody can take away from me, even if it was for two weeks.

"But when I did lose it, I just headed back to the practice court and knew I had to get to the semis in Miami to get it back again.

"I have a lot of motivation to stay at No. 1 for a long time."

World No. 5 Stefanos Tsitsipas held off strong resistance from American qualifier J.J. Wolf to win 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1.

The Greek, who hit 37 winners, will next face Alex de Minaur, who defeated fellow Australian Jordan Thompson 6-2, 6-3.

Spain's 18-year-old Carlos Alcaraz secured his maiden win in Miami with a comfortable 6-3, 6-2 victory over Marton Fucsovics of Hungary.

Fresh from collecting the biggest title of his career at Indian Wells, American Taylor Fritz survived a surprise test from Kazakh qualifier Mikhail Kukushkin to win 6-3, 5-7, 6-3.

Japan's Osaka advanced to the fourth round via a walkover after Czech Karolina Muchova withdrew following an injury she suffered during the warmup.

The four-time Major champion will next face Alison Riske, who defeated Ann Li 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 in an all-American clash.

Muchova's pullout was the latest to mar the women's field in Miami after Garbine Muguruza and Simona Halep withdrew last week.

Australian Open finalist Danielle Collins of the United States beat Russian Vera Zvonareva 6-1, 6-4. Swiss Olympic champion Belinda Bencic ousted Briton Heather Watson 6-4, 6-1 and Tunisian world No. 10 Ons Jabeur beat Estonian Kaia Kanepi 6-3, 6-0.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS