The seventh-seeded pair defeated their opponents 6-3, 7-6(5) after having a rough start as they wasted four break points in the first set. They also managed to win only one break point against the unseeded pair.
“Good start for Aisam and me here in Miami,” Bopanna tweeted after the match, “Definitely was not easy playing a friend [Raj] but good to come out on top.”
The duo now faces the Slovak-Belarussian pair of Michal Mertinak and Dick Norman in the next round.
Federer equals Sampras’ milestone
Meanwhile, world number three Roger Federer joined Pete Sampras on seventh in the all-time win list with 762 career victories as he defeated Radek Stepanek 6-3, 6-3 in straight-sets at the $9million tournament.
“It’s nice tying Pete, but he could have played for many more years,” said Federer. “It’s a funny stat, but it shows how long I have been around already, how much I’ve won, all around the world and all the different surfaces.
Nadal, Wozniacki advance
Meanwhile, top-seeds Rafael Nadal and Caroline Wozniacki both advanced in the tournament with ease.
Nadal overpowered Japan’s Kei Nishikori 6-4, 6-4 while Wozniacki beat Daniela Hantuchova 6-1, 7-6 (9/7).
World number one Nadal has yet to win a Miami title, finishing runner-up in 2005 to Roger Federer and three years later to Nikolay Davydenko.
“I’m very happy about how I played today. I was at a high level tonight.”
However, there was no joy for Andy Roddick, who crashed out of the tournament in the opening match.
The American eighth-seed, who has been troubled by illness for a month, was ambushed by Pablo Cuevas 6-4, 7-6 (7-4).
(With additional input from AFP)
Published in The Express Tribune, March 28th, 2011.
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