Novak Djokovic faced off against Italian Lorenzo Musetti in the second round of the Miami Open on March 25, 2025, and emerged victorious with a decisive 6-2, 6-2 win. The match lasted one hour and 22 minutes, showcasing Djokovic's dominance as he won 12 of the final 14 games. Despite Musetti's early lead, Djokovic quickly regained control, ultimately sealing his place in the quarter-finals.
This victory marks Djokovic's first appearance in the Miami Open quarter-finals since his last title win in 2016, adding another page to his illustrious career. The 37-year-old Serbian player is now just three wins away from achieving his 100th tour-level title. "He had a really good start of the match. First couple games I started a little bit slow and then I knew that if I give him time, he's going to make his shots," Djokovic commented on Musetti's strong opening. "But he is so talented, he can play any shot in the game on any surface," he added, acknowledging Musetti's skills.
Djokovic’s performance was impressive, especially after notable rain delays that affected the schedule of the tournament. He managed to break Musetti’s serve to come back to two-all and immediately broke at 3-2, shifting the momentum of the match in his favor.
The next challenge for Djokovic comes in the form of American Sebastian Korda, who triumphed over French veteran Gael Monfils 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 to meet Djokovic in the quarter-finals. Korda's victory, however, was tempered by concerns about discomfort in his wrist, an injury that has plagued him in the past. In response to his performance against Monfils, Korda noted, "It's pretty painful right now, we'll see how it goes tomorrow. Will do a lot of work with my physio now, we'll see how it is tomorrow," adding a note of uncertainty about his readiness for the next match.
As Korda prepares to take on Djokovic, another upset unfolded as Argentine Francisco Cerundolo ousted fifth seed Casper Ruud with a score of 6-4, 6-2. Cerundolo's community support was evident, as many local fans rallied behind him in South Florida. With this latest victory, he secured a spot in the last eight for the third time in his past four Miami appearances.
Cerundolo expressed his joy after the match, stating, "I'm super happy. It’s always difficult when you're playing a really good match, controlling the game, and you have to stop for rain. It's not easy, but I was chill and came back to the match confident and played a really good service game. I'm super happy to get back-to-back Masters 1000 quarter-finals in the US, on hard courts. It's a great achievement." Cerundolo's next matchup is against 14th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who navigated past American Brandon Nakashima with a 6-4, 7-5 scoreline.
The excitement continued with Matteo Berrettini defeating Australia's Alex de Minaur 6-3, 7-6 (9/7). Berrettini overcame a challenging match where he squandered three match points at 6-5 but ultimately succeeded in a tiebreaker. Berrettini's next opponent is Taylor Fritz, the third seed, who advanced after beating lucky loser Adam Walton 6-3, 7-5.
The tournament faced scheduling issues, particularly due to rain. Notably, the match featuring top seed Alexander Zverev against French player Arthur Fils was postponed and rescheduled for March 26, 2025.
This Miami Open continues to draw attention not only for the matches on the court but also for the star-studded crowd supporting the players. Djokovic commented on an especially memorable moment during the match when tennis legends Serena Williams and Juan Martin del Potro attended. "I was star-struck. 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," he expressed, reflecting on the atmosphere that added to his performance.
With the tournament progressing, fans eagerly await Djokovic's upcoming clashes as he inches closer to his historic milestone while younger talents like Korda and Cerundolo showcase their abilities on a grand stage.
