THE first of the ATP Miami Open fantasy tennis tournament quarter finals have been decided with four players through to the last eight. Much like most of the results in the bottom half of the draw, there were three upsets from the four games with just one player ranked inside the top 25 remaining – world number two Rafael Nadal.

Along with Nadal, 27th seed Alex de Minaur, unseeded Brit Kyle Edmund, and Canadian wildcard Vasek Pospisil remain in contention for the Miami title. Of the results, all were fairly close with Pospisil downing compatriot, Denis Shapovalov 6-4 7-6 in 90 minutes of action. The pair enjoyed a number of impressive rallies but Pospisil won through with experience and shot making nous.

Edmund continued his big run into the last eight with an upset straight sets win over Gael Monfils. While the seventh seeded Frenchman had his chances – breaking the Brit the same amount of times as he was broken – it was Edmund who stepped up in crunch moments to win both tiebreakers, 7-5 and then 7-4 to claim the match in just under two hours.

Nadal took a set to get into his dominant rhythm, dropping the first set to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga who returned for his first tournament since the Australian Open. The Frenchman pushed the Spaniard in the first set and took it off him 8-6 in the tiebreaker, but then the Grand Slam winner put the foot down and dominated the next two sets. Tsonga looked hopeless against Nadal who went to another level, only conceding three games in a 6-7 6-1 6-2 victory.

Finally, de Minaur made his way into the quarter finals making up for the disappointing second round loss at Indian Wells. He toppled 11th seed Spaniard, Roberto Bautista Agut in three sets. It was a momentum-swinging match and eventually the Australian got clear with a crucial double-break to go 5-1 up in the final set and salute, 6-2 3-6 6-2.

In tomorrow’s action, the remaining quarter finalists will be decided with world number one Novak Djokovic taking on talented young Russian Andrey Rublev, and Belgian ninth seed facing giant-killing wildcard Brandon Nakashima. In the night clashes, sixth seed German Alexander Zverev faces American John Isner, while the blockbuster match of the day is Brit wildcard, Andy Murray taking on fourth seed, Daniil Medvedev.

ROUND OF 16 RESULTS:

[2] Rafael Nadal (ESP) defeated Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (FRA) 6-7 6-1 6-2
Kyle Edmund (GBR) defeated [7] Gael Monfils (FRA) 7-6 7-6
[27] Alex de Minaur (AUS) defeated [11] Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6-2 3-6 6-2
[WC] Vasek Pospisil (CAN) defeated [15] Denis Shapovalov (CAN) 6-4 7-5