Miami: Keys vs. Vinci
Madison Keys takes on Roberta Vinci in the third round of the Miami Open.
Madison Keys takes on Roberta Vinci in the third round of the Miami Open.
MIAMI, FL, USA – Timea Bacsinszky came back from a set down to oust World No.2 Agnieszka Radwanska and earn her first ever quarterfinal berth at the Miami Open, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2.
Watch live action from Miami this fortnight on WTA Live powered by TennisTV!
The Swiss No.2 hadn’t played in Miami since 2011, but her current campaign has been her most successful yet – her previous best result here was a round of 16 appearance in 2010.
Motivated by her win against Ana Ivanovic in the last round, Bacsinszky headed into her clash with Radwanska with the confidence of having already defeated the Polish player in their last encounter.
Bacsinszky had a hard time finding her footing once play began, though, quickly falling into a 4-1 hole. Radwanska pulled from her arsenal of trick shots and variety to take the opening set at 6-2, hitting just seven unforced errors to Bacsinszky’s 19.
Dropping the first set just served to galvanize the Swiss, who grabbed her first break of the match early in the second. With a lead finally in her pocket, Bacsinszky’s confidence boosted and she swung more freely, her game clicking together as her groundstrokes found bigger angles. Though she was broken serving for the set at 5-3, Bacsinszky stayed steady to take it at her next chance, 6-4.
Nice touch, @TimeaOfficial! ? https://t.co/TVE9tNyHJx
— WTA (@WTA) March 28, 2016
It was one-way traffic from there as Radwanska, who normally plays a clean and tidy game, found her errors piling up at the worst time and hitting 11 in the third set alone. Bacsinszky was exceptionally solid at the net, too, winning 14 of her 16 net points. In the end, an error from Radwanska sealed the match, 2-6, 6-4, 6-2. The win is the biggest of Bacsinszky’s career and her first over a Top 3 player.
“Even when I wasn’t playing quite well in the first set, I told myself, it might be a long match,” Bacsinszky said of mounting her comeback. “So I always tried to get a little more balls in and make her work.
“But I started to calm down a little bit – in the first set I was kind of nervous.”
“I feel great, it's been a long journey.” -@TimeaOfficial #WTA https://t.co/4xQkJpyBop
— WTA (@WTA) March 28, 2016
Bacsinszky’s reward comes in the form of a quarterfinal clash with No.6 seed Simona Halep, who made quick work of Heather Watson to advance 6-3, 6-4.
Garbiñe Muguruza takes on Nicole Gibbs in the third round of the Miami Open.
MIAMI, FL, USA – Victoria Azarenka survived a late wobble to defeat No.4 seed Garbiñe Muguruza and keep alive her hopes of becoming the first player in a decade to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double.
Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Miami right here on wtatennis.com!
No one since Kim Clijsters in 2005 has managed to win the two Premier Mandatory events in the same year and Azarenka weathered a barrage of winners from Muguruza to prevail, 7-6(6), 7-6(4), and book a quarterfinal spot.
“I think it was a high-quality match for both of us. It was a lot of good striking, a lot of winners, and both of us taking opportunities,” Azarenka said. “I think today I served really well, and I played to win in important moments. Momentum shifting, I think I was a little better today.”
Azarenka has started the year like a freight train, claiming titles in Brisbane and Indian Wells and winning 19 of 20 matches. Sandwiched between her triumphs in Australia and California was the sole setback, defeat to an inspired Angelique Kerber in the Australian Open quarterfinals.
This disappointment only seems to have fuelled the fire in the Belarusian and in a contest of fine margins and superlative shotmaking against Muguruza it was her game that stood firm at the pivotal moments.
Azarenka, who lifted the Miami Open in 2009 and 2011, produced an ace and a brilliant return to recover from 6-4 down in the first set tie-break and then forged 5-2 ahead in the second. Muguruza, though, went down all guns blazing, drawing level amidst a barrage of winners only to succumb in another tie-break.
In the last eight, Azarenka will face Johanna Konta, a 6-2, 6-2 winner earlier in the day over Monica Niculescu.
A leg injury to Azarenka cut short the only previous meeting between the two in Wuhan last autumn, since when the Briton has established herself at the top of the game.
“We have played in Wuhan last year, but it was difficult to consider that a full match since I didn’t really feel physically well or wasn’t good on the court,” Azarenka said. “But it’s really impressive to see how much she improved over the last couple months. Obviously had some great results; playing with a lot of confidence.
“She has a very solid game; big serve. I’m just looking forward to that challenge.”
Fantastic quality between Azarenka-Muguruza. The stats, as great as they are, don’t even capture it. pic.twitter.com/INJzhMOrMS
— WTA Insider (@WTA_insider) March 28, 2016
An interview with Angelique Kerber after her win in the third round of the Miami Open.
Margarita Gasparyan and Monica Niculescu dealt Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis, the World No.1 doubles team, their most comprehensive loss of the year to advance to the quarterfinals in Miami.
An interview with Victoria Azarenka after her third round win at the Miami Open.
MIAMI, FL, USA – Who is the lowest-ranked player left in Miami? Whose famous footsteps is Serena Williams looking to follow? And how many hours has the indefatigable Irina-Camelia Begu spent on court?
With the field at the Miami Open now whittled down to 16, wtatennis.com and SAP thought it time to go looking for answers…
381 – Irina-Camelia Begu has spent 381 minutes on court thus far, more than any other player in the tournament.
69 – World No.69 Heather Watson is the only player left in the draw ranked outside the Top 50.
21 – At 21 years old, Madison Keys is the youngest player left in the draw. It is the first time in the tournament’s 32-year history a teenager has failed to make it to the fourth round.
20 – Serena Williams is on a 20-match winning streak going into her encounter with Svetlana Kuznetsova; her last loss came to Caroline Wozniacki in the 2012 quarterfinals.
15 – Fifteen of the 16 remaining in the draw have won a WTA singles title. The odd one out is Johanna Konta, who, at No.24, is also the highest-ranked player on tour not to have reached the winner’s circle.
11 – The number of different nationalities represented in the fourth round – Romania leads the way with three players.
10 – Ten of the remaining players have never reached the quarterfinals in Miami (Timea Babos, Timea Bacsinszky, Begu, Keys, Konta, Ekaterina Makarova, Garbiñe Muguruza, Monica Niculescu, Elina Svitolina, Watson)
9 – Eight-time Miami champion Serena Williams remains on course to become only the third player to lift the same WTA even nine times or more, after Martina Navratilova (Chicago, Eastbourne, Wimbledon, Washington, Dallas) and Steffi Graf (Berlin).
8 – Eight of the of leading 16 seeds reached their appointed fourth-round slots.
7 – Of the players left in the draw, seven have been ranked either No.1 or No.2.
5 – The No.1 seed has reached the quarterfinals (or better) in each of the past five years – Caroline Wozniacki was the last to fail, losing to Andrea Petkovic in the fourth round in 2011. The top seed has lifted the title on 13 occasions.
4 – Four former champions are still in contention: Williams (2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2013, 2014, 2015), Kuznetsova (2006), Victoria Azarenka (2009, 2011) and Agnieszka Radwanska (2012).
3 – For the third straight year, three unseeded players have made it through to the last 16: Babos, Begu and Watson.
2 – Azarenka remains on course to complete the Indian Wells-Miami double. Graf (1994, 1996) and Kim Clijsters (2005) are the only players to achieve the feat.
1 – Watson received one of the tournament’s eight wildcards; only once in the past five years has a wildcard failed to reach the last 16 in Miami.
0 – Konta and Watson are bidding to become the first British player to reach the quarterfinals in Miami. Jo Durie (1988) also reached the fourth round.
An interview with Madison Keys after her third round win at the Miami Open
It’s round of 16 time at the Miami Open. The matchups are set and the stakes are high. Who will get through? We preview the sweet sixteen here.
Monday, Round of 16
Top Half
[1] Serena Williams (USA #1) vs. [15] Svetlana Kuznetsova (RUS # 19)
Head-to-head: Williams leads, 8-2
Key Stat: The pair have gone the distance in half of their meetings to date.
Fancy an old-school throwdown between former Miami Open champions on manic Monday? Tennis fans will be treated to a battle between two of the more accomplished and entertaining champions in the tournament’s history as Serena Williams and Svetlana Kuznetsova square off for the eleventh time. It’s a matchup that has been controlled by Williams but Kuznetsova has had her moments in the rivalry, too. The pair met at the round of 16 here last year, with Williams rolling to a 6-2, 6-3 victory en route to her record eighth career title at Key Biscayne. Will Williams maintain her domination of her elite foe, or will the 2006 Miami Champion produce more magic at Crandon Park?
Pick: Williams in three
[3] Agnieszka Radwanska (POL #2) vs. [19] Timea Bacsinszky (SUI #20)
Head-to-head: Bacsinszky leads, 1-0
Key Stat: Radwanska has been to the quarterfinals or better five times in Miami.
Agnieszka Radwanska has been red-hot all season, and the World No.2 leads the WTA in wins with 19. Timea Bacsinszky has a spring in her step after an invigorating performance against Ana Ivanovic in the third round in Miami. There couldn’t be a better time for these two special talents to meet. It won’t be the first time. Bacsinszky claimed an important 6-1, 6-1 victory over Radwanska in Fed Cup last April, and the Swiss will likely take confidence in that fact into Monday’s tilt. “I think I just played a really solid match and I made her doubt on what she had to do,” Bacsinszky at the time of her triumph in Poland. That was then, but what about now, against arguably the hottest player in tennis?
Pick: Radwanska in three
[12] Elina Svitolina (UKR #16) vs. [30] Ekaterina Makarova (RUS #31)
Head-to-head: Makarova leads, 3-0
Key Stat: Makarova has reached the round of 16 at Miami four times, but never the quarterfinals.
Ekaterina Makarova displayed dazzling form in taking down Petra Kvitova in straight sets in the third round on Saturday. It was the type of tennis that fans have come to know the Russian for: Strong, aggressive and confident. Could Makarova finally be rounding into top physical form after a slow start in 2016? She was in the Top-10 for six months last year but struggled and eventually pulled the plug on her season due to a lower leg injury right after the U.S. Open. Now at 31 in the world, Makarova will bid for her first Miami quarterfinal against steely Ukrainian Elina Svitolina. The 21-year-old lost all three battles with Makarova in 2015, and has never taken a set from the Russian. Could Monday be the day?
Pick: Makarova in two
[5] Simona Halep (ROU #5) vs. Heather Watson (GBR #69)
Head-to-head: Halep leads, 2-0
Key Stat: Halep needs to reach the quarterfinals to remain in the Top 5 of next week’s WTA rankings.
Simona Halep has eight wins in 2016 and six of them have come at Indian Wells and Miami. That tells us two things: One, Halep has had a difficult start to the season and, two, the Romanian is catching fire in the U.S. With her health concerns from the winter finally behind her Halep has looked like an energized player in the last few weeks. On Monday she will look to reach back-to-back Miami quarterfinals when she faces Heather Watson for the third time. Halep has won the pair’s two previous meetings but the 23-year-old Brit is playing with confidence, having won the Monterrey title in February and reached the round of 16 her for the first time.
Pick: Halep in three
Bottom Half
[2] Angelique Kerber (GER #3) vs. Timea Babos (HUN #49)
Head-to-head: Kerber leads 3-0
Key Stat: Kerber is attempting to match her career-best Miami performance by reaching the quarterfinals (2014).
Now that Angelique Kerber has won back-to-back matches for the first time since winning the Australian Open title, can we assume that Kerber is ready to start battling for big titles again? If so, she’ll have to get by a blossoming Timea Babos on Monday. The Hungarian reached the round of 16 at Miami for the first time with a 7-5, 6-0 takedown of Japan’s Naomi Osaka, and the longtime doubles star says she is thrilled to be making strides on the singles court. “Since November, I jumped around 40 spots, so it’s been a consistent improvement and I’m really happy,” Babos told WTATennis.com on Sunday. Babos owns a 1-8 lifetime record against the Top 10, and has dropped all three previous encounters with Kerber, but with a win over Karolina Pliskova under her belt at Miami, she’ll come out confident in her big-match abilities.
Pick: Kerber in two
[4] Garbiñe Muguruza (ESP #4) vs. [13] Victoria Azarenka (BLR #8)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Azarenka is one of four former Miami champions in action on Monday.
The long-awaited maiden matchup of one of the game’s rising stars and one of its tried-and-true champions will take place tomorrow on Grandstand, as Victoria Azarenka and Garbiñe Muguruza will meet for the first time. Azarenka, fresh off the Indian Wells title, has won eight in a row and 18 of 19 in 2016, and hopes to become the first woman since Kim Clijsters to capture the Indian Wells-Miami “Sunshine” Double in 2005. Muguruza has struggled at times this season, but she played unencumbered tennis in cruising past Nicole Gibbs on Sunday night. The Spaniard will look to reach the quarterfinals for the first time against a two-time champion that appears motivated to prove that she’s an elite force to be reckoned with once again. Carve out a few hours, pop your popcorn and be prepared to be entertained!
Pick: Azarenka in three
[24] Johanna Konta (GBR #23) vs. [32] Monica Niculescu (ROU #33)
Head-to-head: Niculescu leads 1-0
Key Stat: Konta is the first British woman to reach the round of 16 in Miami since 1988 (Durie).
Johanna Konta notched her best career performance at a Premier Mandatory by making the round of 16 at Indian Wells two weeks ago. On Monday Great Britain’s No.1 will try to take it a step further when she meets Monica Niculescu for the first time. Konta, ranked No.151 in the world last year, has been on the rise ever since she road a 16-match winning streak into the second week of the US Open last summer. Now the 24-year-old is closing in on the Top 20. But standing in her way is the spin doctor Monica Niculescu. The Romanian will try to throw off Konta’s rhythm with a steady diet of slice and dice. Will her plan work, or will steady Konta keep on rising?
Pick: Konta in three
[22] Madison Keys (USA #24) vs. Irina-Camelia Begu (ROU #35)
Head-to-head: First meeting
Key Stat: Begu is one of three Romanians in the round of 16; Keys is one of two Americans.
With Mats Wilander sitting in her coaches’ box, Madison Keys put forth one of her most impressive efforts in recent memory in taking down No.9 seed Roberta Vinci in straight sets on Sunday. Keys’ first Top-10 win in over a year featured 41 winners and served to remind everybody watching why the 21-year-old American is so highly touted by peers and pundits alike. Can Keys back up that big win when she faces Romania’s Irina-Camelia Begu on Monday? The 25-year-old Romanian entered Miami with an underwhelming 1-4 record and was down 5-0 in the third set against Sabine Lisicki in the first round, but recovered to earn a career-best result here in Miami.
Pick: Keys in two
-Chris Oddo, wtennis.com contributor