MIAMI GARDENS: Former US Open winner Bianca Andreescu and international quantity two Aryna Sabalenka cruised into the last-16 of the Miami Open on Sunday with instantly units victories at Laborious Rock Stadium. Sabalenka’s energy used to be ‘merely an excessive amount of’ for Czech Marie Bouzkova, with the Belarussian breaking serve two times within the opening set on how to a 6-1, 6-2 victory.

Any probability of a comeback from Bouzkova vanished when she used to be damaged within the opening sport of the second one set and Sabalenka used to be in no threat on her serve, no longer going through spoil level at any time within the 66 minute come upon. “There have been actually good stuff from me,” mentioned an upbeat Sabalenka. “I felt like the whole thing I used to be doing used to be proper and I’m tremendous proud of the extent,” she added.

Sabalenka have been hampered through a groin harm in her earlier fit, receiving scientific consideration and wincing at moments in her win over Shelby Rogers, however she mentioned the harm, whilst no longer resolved, had advanced. “We’re running on that. I might say I’ve the most efficient crew and I actually agree with them and consider that they may be able to repair it. It indubitably felt a lot better,” she mentioned. “My crew did the whole thing to be sure that I’m really not that specialize in the leg and I’m that specialize in the fit,” she added.

Participant reborn

Andreescu, who returned final yr after a seven month ‘psychological well being spoil’ seems to be a participant reborn and he or she oozed self belief as she loved a 6-4, 6-4 victory over American Sofia Kenin. The 22-year-old Andreescu, the 2019 US Open winner, has been spectacular up to now having crushed Emma Raducanu and international quantity 10 Maria Sakkari within the earlier rounds. In a fit with few rallies, Andreescu ruled along with her serve sport, with a 70% first serve share and it used to be no longer till mid-way via the second one set that Kenin led to any actual issues.

Kenin, the 2020 Australian Open winner, broke Andreescu to chop the result in 4-3 however regardless of the enhanced forehand from the Floridian, Andreescu saved her cool and gained along with her first fit level. “Those victories are indubitably very candy and I’ve had many difficult suits in opposition to Sofia, so it feels actually just right to get via,” mentioned Andreescu who transformed all 3 of her spoil issues. “I indubitably really feel like I get higher fit through fit, even bodily. Like I’m feeling actually just right. I’m feeling very recent,” she added.

Andreescu will face Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova within the subsequent spherical after she beat international quantity 9 Belinda Bencic of Switzerland 7-6 (10/8), 6-3. In a just right day for Russian girls, qualifier Varvara Gracheva reached her 2nd instantly WTA 1000 fourth spherical with an easy 6-1, 6-2 win over Polish fortunate loser Magdalena Frech. The 22-year-old Gracheva additionally made it to the final 16 as a qualifier at Indian Wells.

There can also be a robust Czech presence within the fourth spherical with Petra Kvitova, Barbara Krejcikova and Marketa Vondrousova all profitable on Sunday. Two-times Wimbledon winner Kvitova beat Donna Vekic 6-4, 7-6 (7/3), surviving a robust effort from the Croat in the second one set. “She used to be at all times coming again after a (carrier) spoil, and it wasn’t actually simple already within the first set. … It used to be very tough, she performed really well, she served really well,” mentioned Kvitova.

Krejcikova, the 2021 French Open winner, beat American Madison Keys 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 and can face Sabalenka subsequent whilst Vondrousova beat out-of-form compatriot Karolina Pliskova 6-1, 6-2. Romanian Sorana Cirstea made it to the fourth spherical in Miami for the primary time in a decade after beating Czech Karolina Muchova 7-5, 6-1. The 32-year-old, now coached through Swedish former Australian Open winner Thomas Johansson, is playing a mini-revival after additionally attaining the similar level in Indian Wells this month. – AFP