MIAMI/WASHINGTON, March 27, 2025 (by Michael Dickens)

After rain impacted Tuesday’s play at the Miami Open presented by Itau, it meant there would be both fourth round and quarterfinal action on Wednesday – and even that didn’t go according to plan.

First, top-seeded Alexander Zverev of Germany battled No. 17 seed Arthur Fils of France in a match-up of heavy hitters that was cancelled on Tuesday due to a lengthy rain delay. Zverev and Fils met three times last year and each match went to a decider.

So, Wednesday afternoon on Stadium Court, it seemed only fitting that the latest skirmish between the Top-20 stars would go the distance. The 20-year-old Fils rallied from a set down and overcame difficulties with back pain to earn the biggest win of his young career, a two-hour 3-6, 6-3, 6-4 triumph over the World No. 2 Zverev that improved his 2025 win-loss record to 11-5. Zverev fell to 14-6.

Allez Arthur

The moment Arthur Fils became the first Frenchman to reach quarter-finals at Indian Wells and Miami in the same year since Monfils in 2016! #MiamiOPEN pic.twitter.com/lV4hBpC2jy

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 26, 2025

“I was feeling not great in the rallies. I’ve had a little problem in my back since I was young, so sometimes it hurts me a little bit,” Fils told ATP Media during his on-court interview. “I had to find a rhythm, [be] more aggressive and come into the court to play my game and not let him play, because when you let him play, he is one of the best tennis players in the world. I’m really happy about the way I did it.”

Fils hit 25 winners to overcome 35 unforced errors. He converted three of five break points and outpointed Zverev 79-76.

NEVER. GIVE. UP.

@ArthurFils1 @MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/G2DT8lAxnr

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 26, 2025

On Thursday, Fils will be back inside Hard Rock Stadium when he faces No. 54 Jakub Mensik of Czechia in the quarterfinal round. Mensik advanced a day earlier when fellow Czechian and 20th seed Tomas Machac withdrew from their fourth-round match due to illness.

Dimitrov earns 150th ATP Masters 1000 victory

In between, in another quarterfinal tussle, former semifinalist and this year’s No. 23 seed Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina aimed to reach the last four against at Hard Rock Stadium against 2024 finalist Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria, seeded 14th.

In a match that stretched to nearly three hours – two hours, 48 minutes to be exact – Dimitrov saved a match point and became the 11th man in series history to win 150 ATP Masters 1000 matches with his 6-7 (6), 6-4, 7-6 (3) come-from-behind victory over Cerundolo to advance to the semifinal round.

History repeats itself. @GrigorDimitrov is into his second consecutive Miami SF ✌️ pic.twitter.com/CYv0K7fs8j

— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 27, 2025

Dimitrov won 80 percent of his first-serve points, hit 30 winners to 46 unforced errors, converted three of 13 break points and outpointed Cerundolo 115-108.

The Bulgarian let slip seven set points in the opening set, including a 6-4 lead in the first-set tie-break. However, it only made the 33-year-old more determined and he continued to mix backhand slices with his one-fisted backhand effectively. By doing so, it allowed him to dictate rallies throughout the match. However, by the end, both players were mentally and physically exhausted. According to the ATP Tour website, “Dimitrov was heard saying he felt dizzy and he was assisted off the court by a tournament doctor and ATP physio” – and he declined interview requests.

Dimitrov became the fifth man to reach multiple Miami Open semifinalists after turning 30, joining Andre Agassi, Jimmy Connors, Roger Federer and Isner.

Alexa, play “Survivor” by Destiny’s Child @MiamiOpen | #MiamiOpen | @GrigorDimitrov pic.twitter.com/XemKW3V9jr

— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 27, 2025

Djokovic-Korda quarterfinal postponed

Finally, the match between six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia and No. 24 seed Sebastian Korda of the United States was postponed to Thursday afternoon, the tournament announced late Wednesday evening.

The postponement was done in accordance with ATP rules that do not allow for a match to go on court at 11 p.m. It has been rescheduled as the second match from 3 p.m. local time.

The World No. 5 Djokovic will arrive at his match with Korda owning a 19-1 win-loss record in Miami after reaching the quarterfinals. His lone loss came against his current coach, Andy Murray, in the 2009 final. At 37 years and 10 months, Djokovic would become the oldest ATP Masters 1000 semifinalist in series history (since 1990) with a win.

Novak Djokovic’s #MiamiOpen quarterfinal match vs Sebi Korda is rescheduled for Thursday due to a late start time. Was this the right call? #TCLive pic.twitter.com/Feohti8UAu

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) March 27, 2025

Around Hard Rock Stadium

Three quarterfinal-round men’s doubles matches took place on the Grandstand Wednesday. Advancing to Thursday’s semifinals were: No. 6 seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain, who defeated Yuki Bhambri of India and Nuno Borges of Portugal, 7-6 (1), 3-6, 10-8. They will face No. 2 seeds Harri Heliovaara of Finland and Henry Patten of Great Britain.

Also, No. 1 seeds Marcelo Arevalo of El Salvador and Mate Pavic of Croatia, who won the Indian Wells title earlier this month, beat No. 7 seeds Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni of Argentina, 4-6, 7-5, 10-8. They will face No. 5 seeds Nikola Mektic of Croatia and Michael Venus of New Zealand, who defeated Americans Christian Harrison and Evan King, 6-4, 3-6, 10-7.

Wednesday’s Miami Open results

Thursday’s Miami Open order of play

By the numbers

Alexander Zverev began the day in fourth place for most tour-level wins by a German player on the ATP Tour. Zverev’s 477 career wins placed him one behind Philipp Kohlschreiber’s 478. The all-time German leader is Boris Becker (713) followed by Tommy Haas (569).

“Quotable …”

“I was starstruck! it was amazing to see first DelPo, obviously a long-time friend and a rival. So happy to have him around and get his support from the box. It was amazing, it was [the] first time to have DelPo in the box, so I want to thank him for coming. And Serena, that was a surprise. I didn’t know.

“Actually, when I had that down-the-line passing shot, I pointed to her and asked her whether it was okay. She kind of said, ‘Yeah, it was fine.’ If Serena says it was fine, then it was amazing by everyone else’s standards. So very great to have them.”

– Six-time Miami Open champion Novak Djokovic of Serbia, during his on-court interview with ATP Media Tuesday evening, after defeating Lorenzo Musetti of Italy, 6-2, 6-2, to advance to the quarterfinal round.