The clash between Aryna Sabalenka and Barbora Krejcikova was going to be a highlight of the WTA's Round of 16 in Miami Open. The two previous meetings between those top class players delivered a great emotions and the on-court quality in previous WTA 1000 tournaments in Dubai and Indian Wells. This time, it was the one-sided show, completely dominated by Sabalenka. The Belarusian proved his class, winning 6-3 6-2. The world's number two was almost untouchable in her service games, facing just one single breakpoint during whole match, and having 70% of first serve accuracy. The match had still some quality, as players were not facing any huge breakdowns. Sabalenka was just a better player today, playing on her weapons on the highest level. The Belarusian proves, that her ambitions to become the world's number one and detronize Iga Swiatek are not groundless. Sabalenka will face Sorana Cirstea in the quarters. The Romanian scored one of her biggest career's achievement, advancing into WTA 1000 QFs, after making quite an upset, by eliminating Marketa Vondrousova 7-6(3) 6-4.
Elena Rybakina, who survived a scare during her previous match against Paula Badosa, winning in a three-sets thriller after defending the matchpoint on the road, scored a much more routined win in R16. The Kazakh defeated Elise Mertens 6-4 6-3. The current Indian Wells champion faced some trouble in opening set, as the Belgian was first to gain a break. Rybakina raised up her level, winning 6 games in a row since being 3-4 down in first set, winning it and moving into a break lead in second one, which she did not give away till the end.
Martina Trevisan will be Rybakina's next opponent. The Italian celebrates a great run, as she being known as the clay courts specialist, who really struggles on hard surface, especially against the top notch opponent. Trevisan proves to have some good skills on HC as well, as she scored an really impressive win against Jelena Ostapenko. The Latvian was a clear pre-match favorite with an odd 1.17. The Italian made a big surprise tough, feeling really comfortable on the court and being a better player than her opponent today. Trevisan won the first set 6-3 and had some moment of trouble just after the start of second one, being broken in first game. She regrouped after that well and won the second set with same score. The Italian can enter the top 20, depending on further results in Miami Open.
The world's number three and the only female American who still stands in the competition did not disappoint, moving into quarterfinals in confident style. Jessica Pegula scored a 6-1 7-5 win against Magda Linette, advancing into QFs in just 79 minutes. The American was 2-5 down in second set with a double break gap and everything was foreshadowing the decider. Pegula denied it tough, winning 7 games in a row and defending the setpoint on Linette's serve in 10th game - really impressive comeback. Pegula will face Anastasia Potapova in the quarters. The Russian achieves one of her best career's result after defeating Qinwen Zheng 6-4 7-6(4).
Petra Kvitova defeated Varvara Gracheva 7-5 7-6(5). Despite Kvitova being pre-match favorite, it was Gracheva who produced more chances during the game, creating 8 breakpoints to just 3 made by Kvitova. The Russian was just not effective in a crucial moments, as she lost first set after being broken in 11th game despite putting pressure on her opponent before and facing no breakpoints till this time. Gracheva was also leading 5-3 and serving for the set, but wasted this chance as well, as the Grand Slam champion showed her great experience in important moments. She leveled the score and won the tiebreak.
Ekaterina Alexandrova will be Kvitova's opponent in the quarters. The Russian was facing Bianca Andreescu in the match which has ended up in the worst possible way. Alexandrova won the opening set in tiebreak, but Andreescu was leading 2-0 in second one. Then, the Canadian made a move for a ball in the third game of the second set and collapsed to the court in agonizing pain. After being attended to by medical staff, Andreescu was wheeled off court in a wheelchair before heading to the hospital for tests.
