MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA, USA. –
Bianca Andreescu emerged victorious on Sunday in a duel between former Grand Slam champions, defeating Sophia Kenin 6-4, 6-4 6-4, 6-4 to advance to the round of 16 at the Miami Open.
Andreescu, the 2019 US Open champion, hit seven aces and double-faulted only Kenin.
Currently number 31 in the world, the Canadian is 4-1 in his straight history against the American Kenin, the champion of the Australian Open. Andreescu was coming off scoring victories against Emma Raducanu and Maria Sakkari (7th seed).
Andreescu wants to repeat in the final in Miami after 2021, when he had to withdraw from the title match against Ash Barty with an injury.
“The last time I was here in the 2021 Experience I didn’t enjoy, I didn’t feel I deserved to play in the final,” said Andreescu. “But this year I feel different and I’m sure I deserve to be here.”
Andreescu King’s next opponent will be Ekaterina Alexandrova. 18th-seeded woman Belinda Bencic of Switzerland was defeated 7-6 by No. 9 (8), 6-3. Russian Alexandrova saved four points in the first set, including two in the tiebreaker.
Champion Carlos Alcaraz continued his streak at the Hard Rock Stadium. The Spanish teenager scored his second straight win, beating Serbia’s Dusan Lajovic 6-0, 7-6(5).
After becoming the champion in Indian Wells to dislodge Novak Djokovic at the top of the ATP ranking, Alcaraz needs to renew the title in Miami to stay on top.
“I feel very fast on the track, moving very well,” said Alcaraz, who is 16-1 on the season. “I go game by game without thinking about what I’m defending.”
His opponent in the round of 16 will be American Tommy Paul. The semi-finalist of the last Australian Open defeated Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-5.
Also on Sunday, in the seventh round, Denmark’s Holger Rune defeated Argentina’s Diego Schwartzman 6-4, 6-2 and Russia’s Andrey Rublev (6) defeated Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanović 6-1, 6-2.
In the last match of the day, Dutchman Botic Van de Zandschulp (26) beat Norway, the third seed, Casper Ruud, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4.
