Tennis: Isner upsets second-seeded Cilic at Miami Open

Isner celebrates after match point against Marin Cilic of Croatia. PHOTO: AFP

MIAMI (REUTERS) - Big-serving American John Isner overcame second-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic 7-6(0) 6-3 at the Miami Open on Tuesday (March 27) to advance to the quarter-finals, where he will face South Korean Hyeon Chung, who dominated Joao Sousa 6-4 6-3 earlier in the day.

In a battle of power against power, it was Isner's booming serve that made the difference as the towering 32-year-old fired 12 aces while never giving Cilic a look at a break point.

Isner took firm control of the match in the first set tiebreak, where he stepped up his return game to shut out the world number three before finally breaking Cilic's powerful serve in the second set and cruising to the win.

Chung needed just over an hour to see off the Portuguese Sousa, who could not find an answer to the 19th-seeded South Korean's relentless all-court game.

With the win, Chung advances to his second consecutive quarter-final after also making the last eight in Indian Wells, where the 21-year-old lost to Swiss Roger Federer.

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