Elevating his career-best start to a season, Juan Martin Del Potro’s wheels of momentum have carried him to a 15th victory in a row in the Miami Open presented by Itau quarter-finals. His latest victim is No. 20 seed Milos Raonic, with the Argentine claiming their two-hour, 52-minute battle 5-7, 7-6(1), 7-6(3).
It was Del Potro who breezed past the 27-year-old in Indian Wells before going on to save three championship points to beat Roger Federer in the final. There would be no repeat of his straight-sets routing of Raonic this time round.
"It was great tennis and a battle," said Del Potro. "We both enjoyed the game and the crowd were amazing, making for an incredible atmosphere on court. I'm so glad to still be alive and reach the semi-finals."
[ALSO LIKE]
Victory keeps the Argentine’s bid for the “Sunshine Double” alive and the chance to win three consecutive titles for the first time in his career after trophy runs in Acapulco and Indian Wells. It edges him ahead 3-2 in his FedEx ATP Head2Head series with Raonic.
"I always think this may be my last match, so I put in a lot of effort to give myself a chance to win," said Del Potro. "I'm pleased with my level of tennis and all my success, but of course I'd like to reach the final."
Serving to stay in the opening set, Del Potro found himself on the back foot after some heavy forehand returns. Caught flat-footed off a return, the Argentine dumped a forehand into the net to hand the Canadian a set point. He double-faulted to surrender it 7-5.
There was a scare for Del Potro when he had to jump the courtside advertising signage after scrambling wide to his backhand before being cheered back to court to hold for 5-5 in the second set. Reluctant to move forward when he had Del Potro on the run early in the second-set tie-break, Raonic quickly fell behind 0/3. Not to be denied, back-to-back forehand winners enabled Del Potro to level the match, sending the Crandon Park stadium into a frenzy.
Neither player was able to wrest control of the match early in the third set with four straight breaks of serve to open it. The back-to-back breaks ended a run of 40 straight service holds for Raonic.
Heading into a deciding-set tie-break, it was Del Potro who gained the ascendency when he surged to 3/1 on a rolling wrong-footing forehand winner. He booked a semi-final showdown with American John Isner on his first match point, with one of his signature thunderous forehand winners.
