Miami Open 2023: Taro Daniel dumps out Alexander Zverev in straight sets to follow up Casper Ruud scalp

Taro Daniel sensationally dumped out Alexander Zverev in the second round of the Miami Open, winning 6-0 6-4.

It was a sensational display by the Japanese player, who took the biggest scalp of Friday and follows on from his superb victory over Casper Ruud in Acapulco last month.

The world No. 15 was beaten after only 73 minutes of play, in what a huge blow to the German’s hopes of rising back up the rankings as he continues his resurgence following an ankle injury at Roland Garros last year.

Zverev had been making solid progress after battling well at Indian Wells after forcing Daniil Medvedev to a deciding set in the fourth round and reaching the semi-finals in Dubai.

Daniel secured a bagel-winning first set after breaking Zverev three times in a masterful display of combative tennis.

He was halfway to victory after taking his third set point, needing just 30 minutes to draw first blood in the contest.

The second set was more closely contested, with the first four games all going to serve until Daniel secured a decisive break to love in the fifth.

Zverev was playing catch up from that point, as the world No. 97 won the 10th game to love and completed a memorable victory.

“In the first set he was struggling and I just didn’t want to let him get his rhythm back,” said Daniel.

“Sometimes it’s a matter of letting them keep playing badly. It’s a little bit of a dirty fight.”

“Sometimes you don’t know why things turn around and you have success. You keep rolling and it just happens. My plan is to keep accumulating more and more of these wins more consistently.”

Daniel will now look forward to a match against Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori in the third round on Sunday.

“The plan was like all matches to be as stable as possible,” Gracheva said on-court afterwards. “I tried to make her work in as many points as possible and waited for a comfortable one-two attack and if that doesn’t work try again. Simple as that.

“I’ve just caught this wave where I’m stable. I have a chance to play aggressive and cause trouble for the opponent. I just try to keep rolling on this way.”

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