Lloyd Harris

South Africa’s top-ranked tennis player, Lloyd Harris, will face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the third round of the Miami Open on Monday. Photo: EPA/JASON O’BRIEN

Lloyd Harris to face Andy Murray in Round 1 of Miami Open

Lloyd Harris’ red-hot recent form will face another test in the opening round of the Miami Open.

Lloyd Harris

South Africa’s top-ranked tennis player, Lloyd Harris, will face Japan’s Yoshihito Nishioka in the third round of the Miami Open on Monday. Photo: EPA/JASON O’BRIEN

Lloyd Harris’ red-hot recent form will face another test in the opening round of the Miami Open.

The 24-year-old Capetonian will take on three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray in Round 1.

Lloyd Harris has been in scintillating form in recent weeks having reached the Dubai Championship final where he lost to Russia’s Aslan Karatsev.

En route to the final, Harris beat a host of big-name players including world No 4 Dominic Thiem and former world No 4, Kei Nishokori.

Harris’ string of results saw him move from 81st in the world to a new career high of 52nd.

Meanwhile, Murray has endured a tough time of things in recent years and has seen his ranking plummet to 119th.

He had to rely on a wildcard to play in Miami this week.

READ | ANDY MURRAY HANDED MIAMI OPEN WILDCARD

As a result, Harris will fancy his chances against the 33-year-old Scotsman.

The winner of the match will face Spanish seventh-seed Roberto Bautista Agut in the second round.

Meanwhile, South Africa’s other entrant in the singles draw, Kevin Anderson, will get his tournament under way against Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro with second-seeded Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas lying in wait in the second round for the winner.

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev is the top seed in a tournament which has seen the “Big 3” of Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer all withdraw.