Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/488485
22 maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 1 APRIL 2015 Sport TENNIS BOXING Defending champion Novak Djokovic eases into fourth round at Miami Open Defending champion Novak Djokovic defeated Belgium's Steve Darcis 6-0 7-5 on Monday to power into the last 16 of the Miami Open along with Japan's Kei Nishikori and Canada's Milos Raonic THE Serbian world number one, who just like last year won at Indian Wells before heading to South Florida, will face Alexandr Dolgopolov, a 7-5 6-4 winner over Brazilian Thomaz Bel- lucci, in the fourth round. Djokovic, who is seeking a fifth win at Miami, wrapped up a one-sided first set in 26 minutes but faced a sterner test in the second. Darcis broke to go ahead 5-4 but after the Serb levelled up the set, he broke back and held on to secure the match. "I managed to come back in the right moment," Djokovic said. "I kind of elevated the intensity and started playing a little bit more with depth on the ball. "He's got a lot of variety, especially from his backhand side. "So I was handling it really good for first 30 minutes, then started to make some unforced errors and started to play a little bit more neu- tral, a little bit slower, and he got into the match. "I complicated my own life in the second set but in the end of the day, it's a win." Fourth-seed Nishikori had even less trouble as he crushed Serbia's Viktor Troicki 6-2 6-2 in 63 minutes. Troicki, who needed medical treatment to his left side during the match, struggled to cope with Nishikori throughout with the 25- year-old converting five of his six break points. "I was almost perfect on the court. It is so exciting that I am playing well here," said Nishikori. "Maybe he was hurting a little bit but I was still putting him under pressure with my return." Raonic also moved into the fourth round after a hard-earned 6-1 5-7 7-6 (3) win over French 31st seed Jer- emy Chardy. Raonic was broken when serving for the match at 5-4 in the second and then Chardy went on to force the third set. "He started playing more freely and I sort of went the other way," said Raonic. "He played well in the second set and I think he played bet- ter than I did in the third." Isner provided an upset as the 22nd seed won 7-6(2) 6-2 over ninth seed- ed Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov while Belgian 18th seed David Goffin beat Poland's Jerzy Janowicz 6-4 6-3 and Spain's sixth seed David Ferrer got past Czech Lukas Rosol 6-4 7-5. Novak Djokovic Mayweather: It's about a legacy Floyd Mayweather Jr says his long-awaited bout with Manny Pacquiao in Las Vegas on May 2 is more about leaving a legacy than it is about money THE 38-year-old, unbeaten in his 47 fights and a five-division world champion, heads into a clash with eight-division title holder Pacquiao that is expected to set financial records - but insists his reputation and the education of his children remain more important to him. "When you're young, you look at everything like you want nice cars, you want jewellery, you want a big house," Mayweather told mlive. com. "But once you've been living like that for so long, it's not really about that anymore. It's about my chil- dren, the legacy, them getting the best education. That's what's main- ly important to me. I don't worry about the fight because I know what I can do and I know what I bring to the table." Looking forward to what Pac- quiao can bring to the table, the American added: "A lot of guys do a lot of things wrong, but they are still successful. "So I want to know what he does right, so I can take that away from him, so I can take that arsenal away from him. What I do, when I'm fac- ing a guy, whatever he does good, I take that away from him, so he has to resort to doing something differ- ent. "I just want to look good for my- self. I want to look very impressive. I'm pretty sure he's going to bring his A-game, and it's all about ex- citement. I got here somehow, some way. He's a solid competitor, but very reckless, and he makes a lot of mistakes. "But he's been successful. Remem- ber what I said - you've got guys that make a lot of mistakes but still are successful." On his preparation for the fight, which has included chopping huge blocks of wood as part of his con- ditioning training, Mayweather added: "I had to go back to where it all started. I just wanted to. Just for myself. "Things just happen and you come up with different ways to gain strength, with the new era. But I had to go back to where it all started from. I like it a lot more. I like it. I appreciate it." Floyd Mayweather Jr: Determined to cement legacy