Alexander Zverev overcame a sluggish start to defeat Australia’s Jordan Thompson 7-5, 6-4 in a gritty third-round battle at the Miami Open on Monday. The top-seeded German trailed 4-1 in the opening set before storming back to claim eight of the next nine games, securing his place in the last 16.  

"I'm happy with my level from 1-4 onwards," said Zverev, who praised Thompson's disruptive play. "He knows how to break your rhythm, and he did extremely well today."  

After an early exit at Indian Wells, Zverev—now with Carlos Alcaraz out of the picture—eyes a chance to add an eighth Masters 1000 title to his resume. Meanwhile, third seed Taylor Fritz joined him in the fourth round, overcoming Canada’s Denis Shapovalov 7-5, 6-3 despite squandering a 5-2 first-set lead.  

Sabalenka Powers Through

In the women’s draw, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka delivered a commanding 6-4, 6-4 victory over defending champion Danielle Collins, booking her quarterfinal spot. The Belarusian will face China’s Zheng Qinwen, who advanced with a straight-sets win over Ashlyn Krueger.  

Osaka’s Top-10 Test Ends in Defeat

Naomi Osaka’s quest to rediscover her peak form hit a snag as Italy’s Jasmine Paolini rallied for a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 win in a grueling two-hour, 15-minute clash. Though Osaka showed flashes of brilliance, the match marked her first encounter with a top-10 opponent this year.  

"I didn’t know she could hit like that," Osaka admitted, referencing Paolini’s surprising power. The Italian now awaits the winner of Coco Gauff vs. Magda Linette for a place in the semifinals.