World no. 8 Holger Rune is safely through into the Miami Masters last 16. Holger defeated Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 31 minutes in the third round to celebrate his 12th Masters 1000 victory. The Dane played well behind the first serve and faced only two break points. He got broken once and seized all four return opportunities to control the scoreboard and remain on the title course. Holger created a break chance in the encounter’s first game and converted it following a 15-stroke exchange and Diego’s loose backhand. A teenager allowed a few deuces on his serve in the second game before closing it with a volley winner at the net to cement the advantage. Schwartzman fired a rare service winner in the third game to bring it home after deuce and get his name on the scoreboard.
Holger Rune defeated Diego Schwartzman in Miami.
Rune painted a forehand winner in the next one to open a 3-1 gap before Schwartzman held at love with an ace to remain within one break deficit. Holger squandered game points in game six and hit a double fault to experience a break point. He denied it with a powerful serve and held with an ace to open a 4-2 gap and keep his serve intact. The Argentine served well in those moments and delivered another fine hold to remain within one break deficit. Diego extended the eighth game before Holger held with a serve & volley combo that propelled him 5-3 in front. Schwartzman held at love in game nine to prolong the set before Rune clinched the opener with a hold at 30 at 5-4.
The young gun scored an early break at the start of the second set and hit a double fault in game two to lose serve. Schwartzman built a 40-15 lead in the third game before dropping four straight points and losing serve after a loose backhand. Holger cemented the advantage with a hold at love in game four and moved closer to the finish line with another break of serve at 3-1. With everything working his way, Rune produced another hold at love in game six and forced the opponent to serve to stay in the match. Diego dropped 17 of the previous 20 points and tried to extend the battle at 1-5. He held at 30 with a service winner, and Holger moved over the top with his third consecutive hold at love a few minutes later.
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