TENNIS

Novak Djokovic out of Miami Open, Venus Williams in third round

Djokovic lost 6-3, 6-4 to French world number 47 Benoit Paire

djokovic-miami-open-reuters Novak Djokovic reacts after losing a game against Benoit Paire of France at the Miami Open | Reuters

Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic dashed out of the Miami Open after suffering a second round defeat on Saturday as he continues his return from an injury.

Djokovic lost 6-3, 6-4 to French world number 47 Benoit Paire in a match, which lasted over 69 minutes.

It is Djokovic's third consecutive defeat since he reached the Australian Open fourth round, where he made a comeback after a six-month injury lay-off.

Earlier this month, the Serb was knocked out of the Indian Wells Masters after losing to Taro Daniel of Japan in the second round tie.

Elsewhere in Miami, Belgium No. 1 David Goffin was defeated by Portugal's Joao Sousa 6-0 6-1.

Goffin was playing his comeback match after sustaining an eye injury at the Rotterdam Open in January.

Later in the day, World No. 1 Roger Federer will begin his Miami Open campaign against Thanasi Kokkinakis of Australia

Meanwhile, American tennis star Venus Williams battled from behind in both sets against Russia's Natalia Vikhlyantseva to book her place in the third round.

The eighth-seed, who made it to the semifinals of the Indian Wells last week, registered a straight-sets 7-5, 6-4 win over Vikhlyantseva in a second-round clash that lasted two hours and seven minutes.

Venus trailed 5-2 in the opening set before she went on to win five straight games, while she was also slumping by 0-3 in the second set before winning six of the last seven games to eventually prevail her Russian opponent.

With the win, Venus is now standing just 13 victories behind her sister Serena (75-9) on the all-time Miami Open win list.

She will next lock horns with No. 29-seeded Kiki Bertens of Netherlands in the third round of the women's singles event.

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