Alex de Minaur shows mental edge to end Joao Fonseca s challenge Zverev marches on in Miami

MIAMI GARDENS – Australia’s Alex de Minaur put an end to Brazilian talent Joao Fonseca’s challenge at the Miami Open, outlasting the 18-year-old 5-7, 7-5, 6-3 in an enthralling contest on March 24.

Attendance on stadium court had been sparse throughout the day, but the Hard Rock Stadium turned into a mini-Maracana Stadium for Fonseca’s match, complete with Brazilian flags and football-style chanting.

Fonseca brought his energetic brand of ultra-attacking tennis, but de Minaur was up to the challenge, as the 26-year-old coped with both the blistering forehands and the partisan crowd.

Such was the dominance of Fonseca’s raucous support that the referee switched to Portuguese for his appeals for quiet.

But de Minaur won six of the final seven games to move into the fourth round, keeping his cool even when the crowd, at times, disrupted his serve preparation.

“Mentally I was ready for this match,” said de Minaur, who will face Matteo Berrettini for a place in the quarter-finals.

“I knew I was not only going to play an incredible talent like Joao, playing with immense confidence and nothing to lose, but also an incredible crowd that was on his side from the first point until the last.

“One of my biggest strengths is my mentality and that is what got me the win today.”

Top seed Alexander Zverev recovered from a slow start to power into the fourth round with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Australia’s Jordan Thompson.

The German was 4-1 down in the first set but then went on a roll, winning eight of the next nine games to progress.

Zverev lost in the opening round at Indian Wells but, with Carlos Alcaraz already out in Miami, he will fancy his chances of adding to his list of seven Masters 1000 titles.

He will meet