Miami Open 2019: Berdych pulls out with injury, Tipsarevic gets first win in a year

The qualifying matches at the ongoing Miami Open were concluded on Wednesday. The first round matches have now begun in the newly constructed Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida.

Tomas Berdych has been struck by yet another injury - this time a back one - in his comeback stint as he withdrew from his match against Bernard Tomic in the first round. This would have come as a big blow to the Czech, who has looked good in fits and bursts this year but hasn't been able to string together a sustained run.

Tomic will now play against Brazil's Thiago Monteiro in the first round, and if he wins that will go up against World number 1 Novak Djokovic in the second round.

Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic finally returned to winning ways after injuries took a toll on him in 2018 and he was unable to win a single competitive match all year. He defeated Bradley Klahn 6-3, 6-3 in the first round and is eyeing a match against Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.

Dominic Thiem, the winner of the recently concluded Indian Wells tournament, will be facing the quarter-finalist of that same tournament Hubert Hurkacz in the second round.

Sam Querry is yet to face David Ferrer in the first round, and Nick Kyrgios will start his journey in his second round match against Alexander Bublik, who defeated Tennys Sandgren in the first round.

Prajnesh Gunneswaran, the rising Indian who defeated Benoit Paire and Nikoloz Basilashvilli in Indian Wells, will be facing the young Spaniard Jaume Munar in the first round. Munar won the French Open and Wimbledon as a junior player, and his game is a nice mix of aggression and consistency.

Felix Auger-Aliassime, who stunned Stefanos Tsitsipas in Indian Wells, is facing Norwegian Casper Ruud in the first round. Auger-Aliassime lost the first set to Ruud (3-6) but is up by a break at 3-0 in the second.

Gael Monfils, who withdrew from his Indian Wells quarterfinal match against Thiem, will face Robin Haase of Netherlands in the second round.

The top-seed players are yet to make their way on to the court, but they will do so tomorrow. The Miami Open already looks promising with a mix of old and young players battling it out to go as far and deep as they can in the tournament.