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Casper Ruud is on the cusp of reaching his first ATP Masters 1000 final after upsetting second seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals of the Miami Open.
The Norwegian world number eight eclipsed Zverev 6-3 1-6 6-3 to register his first win in three attempts against his German opponent.
Ruud sailed to a one-set lead before world number three Zverev shifted the momentum by saving two break points at 0-0 in the second.
Unforced errors crept into Ruud’s game and Zverev was able to take charge from the baseline as he drew level at one set apiece.
But Ruud was finally able to break Zverev again at the start of the third and refused to let up, setting up a semi-final clash with Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo.
In comments carried by the ATP Tour site, Ruud said after the match: “It was great to get that break early on [in the third set] and I was able to keep it all the way out.
“I was serving well. I can thank my serving for the win today.”
World number 103 Cerundolo receieved a golden ticket through to the final four after Italy’s Jannik Sinner retired in the first set of their quarter-final match.
In the women’s tournament, top seed Iga Swiatek continued her brilliant run, breezing past Petra Kvitova 6-3 6-3 to notch her 15th straight win.
She will face 16th seed Jessica Pegula in the semi-finals after the American advanced over Spain’s Paula Badosa, who was forced out of the tournament with a viral illness.