After performing the traditional handshake, Kyrgios did not hide his surprise at having to return to the locker room after spending only 53 minutes on the court.

The time to get rid of Rublev 6-3, 6-0 without hesitation on his part, nor resistance on the other hand.

And the enticing poster of the day in the men's draw, between the Australian, who remains on a quarter-final loss narrowly against Rafael Nadal in Indian Wells, and the Russian, semi-finalist in California, to pschiit, so quite unexpected.

"I'm very happy with my performance. I didn't play amazing, I played the right way. I know Rublev likes to dictate the tempo and I didn't let him. I managed as many winning shots as I could and I served well", commented Kyrgios, who flew over the debates with his big powerful forehands and a formidable efficiency in the service (80% of first balls, 10 aces).

The 26-year-old Australian, who is coming out of two and a half difficult years, having notably gone through a very dark period, with suicidal thoughts, in 2019, shows that he is on the right track.

And he also avoided any angry episode, he who almost, last week, hit a ball boy after smashing his racket on the ground.

Nick Kyrgios who fell for Andrey Rublev in Miami, March 25, 2022 MATTHEW STOCKMAN G/AFP

Former 13th in the world, Kyrgios, invited to Miami, will try to continue his return to the fore against the Italian Fabio Fognini (17th).

A name to remember: Fruhvirtova

Earlier, the cador of this part of the table Alexander Zverev (4th) qualified laboriously for the 3rd round (6-4, 3-6, 6-3) at the expense of the Croatian Borna Coric (166th), avoiding a new disappointment, a week after his disappointment in Indian Wells, where he was taken out as soon as he entered the running by the American Tommy Paul (37th).

Czech Linda Fruhvirtova against Belgian Elise Mertens at the Miami tournament, March 25, 2022 Mark Brown Getty / AFP

Also in search of redemption, in terms of behavior on the court, a month after his bloodshed in Acapulco, where he had hit the referee's chair several times with his racket, then receiving a lenient sanction of eight weeks suspended from all competitions suspended by the ATP, Sasha was not upset this time.

Far from playing his best tennis, he hung on to emerge victorious from this trap match and will face the Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov (29th) or the American Mackenzie McDonald (54th).

Other notable men's qualifiers include Italian Jannik Sinner (11th) and Britain's Cameron Norrie (12th).

Among the women, the disappointment of the day was experienced by Maria Sakkari, 3rd in the world and finalist last Sunday in Indian Wells, who obviously lacked the gas to continue in Miami, beaten 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 by the Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia.

Maria Sakkari beaten to everyone's surprise by the modest Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia in Miami, March 25, 2022 Mark Brown Getty / AFP

The Greek seemed to be in control of her game when suddenly her whole game went wrong and what usually makes one of her strengths, her fighting spirit, fled from her quite quickly.

Note, finally, the remarkable performance of the great hope of Czech tennis, Linda Fruhvirtova, 16 years old and 279th in the world, who dismissed (7-5, 2-6, 6-1) the Belgian Elise Mertens (24th).

"It's incredible," exclaimed the teenager, who does not lack ambition, however.

"I want to be world No.1, I want to win Grand Slam titles," warned the one who will be opposed in the third round to Belarusian Victoria Azarenka or Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.

© 2022 AFP