The third round of the Miami Open saw the elimination of two major contenders, as Australian Open champion Madison Keys and the winner of the last two WTA 1000 events, Mirra Andreeva, crashed out of the tournament on Sunday.

Eala delivers a shocking upset

The victory of Alexandra Eala over Madison Keys is arguably the most significant upset of the WTA season so far. The leader of the WTA Race before the Miami Open, who won the last Grand Slam and reached the semifinals in Indian Wells, was eliminated by a player who had never won a main draw match at the WTA 1000 level before this tournament. Eala had already pulled off two big upsets against Katie Volynets and Jelena Ostapenko, but few expected her to achieve the same against Keys.

Eala entered the match with a pre-match odd of 9.38, while Keys was the overwhelming favorite at 1.06. However, the American struggled throughout the match, unable to calibrate her shots from start to finish, committing a shocking 51 unforced errors in a relatively short match that ended 6-4, 6-2 in favor of the Filipino player. This created opportunities for Eala, who generated 31 pressure points on Keys' serve, while Keys managed just 21. While Eala’s serve remains an area for improvement, she maintained composure and minimized errors, executing her game plan perfectly. The 19-year-old secured the biggest victory of her career, which could mark a breakthrough moment for her.

Anisimova defeats Andreeva

The most anticipated third-round match featured a clash between the two most recent WTA 1000 champions. However, the quality of play was discussive, as both players made numerous errors and seemed less than 100% fit - especially Andreeva, who appeared to struggle with physical issues from the start.

Anisimova approached the match with a clear game plan and became the first player in weeks to effectively target and break down Andreeva’s forehand. Despite fluctuations in performance, Anisimova held firm in the decisive third set, securing a crucial break and never looking back. The match was not without controversy, as Anisimova took a medical timeout during Andreeva’s service game, a move that visibly frustrated the Russian. Emotions ran high on both sides, but in the end, the American prevailed with a 7-6, 2-6, 6-3 victory.

This loss ended Andreeva’s 13-match winning streak and dashed her hopes of achieving the Sunshine Double. Despite her recent success, the physically demanding schedule may have taken a toll on the young Russian. It will be interesting to see her transition to clay, where she possesses the tools to compete at the highest level.

A round of bad luck

This round was plagued by injuries, effectively turning three of the 16 matches into no-shows. It began on Saturday, when Ons Jabeur took the court against Jasmine Paolini with a heavily bandaged calf. Unfortunately, the injury was serious, as Jabeur later collapsed on court and was unable to continue. This is another heartbreaking setback for the Tunisian, who was regaining form after a difficult 2024, also marred by injuries. The severity of this injury suggests she may be sidelined for several weeks.

Elena-Gabriela Ruse faced the daunting challenge of taking on Aryna Sabalenka. However, her match ended prematurely after she rolled her ankle in the opening set. Despite attempting to continue, it became impossible for her to compete against the world No. 1. Ruse has shown potential to play at a high level, but recurring injuries have consistently hindered her progress in recent years.

McCartney Kessler, who had been on an upward trajectory in recent weeks, was also hampered by physical issues. She was visibly struggling and unable to play at full intensity against Emma Raducanu. After losing the first set 1-6, Kessler retired from the match. This marks Raducanu’s best run since reaching the Round of 16 at Wimbledon last year, and she was fortunate to secure an easier victory following her grueling three-set battle against Emma Navarro in the previous round.

Super Monday at Hard Rock Stadium

As per tradition, all Round of 16 matches will take place on the same day, with some highly anticipated clashes lined up for Monday. The headline match features world No. 1 and defending Miami Open champion Aryna Sabalenka against Danielle Collins. Collins had to battle for 2.5 hours against qualifier Rebeka Masarova. Despite an impressive performance against Sorana Cirstea in the previous round, Collins was less consistent against Masarova, who served well and matched the American’s intensity. Masarova pushed the match to a deciding set, but Collins ultimately took control, winning 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. However, her ratio of 42 unforced errors to just 25 winners is a concerning statistic ahead of her clash with Sabalenka.

Sabalenka has dominated this matchup, winning all six of their previous encounters, including two victories last year on clay when Collins was in top form. However, the American has a strong record in Miami, with 21 wins and just five losses, making this her best opportunity to break her losing streak against the Belarusian.

Iga Swiatek is set to face Elina Svitolina. Swiatek continued her strong form with another straight-set victory over Elise Mertens. The first set was competitive, but she shifted into a higher gear in the second, winning 7-6(2), 6-1. Swiatek and Svitolina have faced each other three times in the past, including a notable upset when Svitolina defeated the Pole in the 2023 Wimbledon quarterfinals.

A Serving Excellence Showdown

Qinwen Zheng sets up an exciting clash of big servers against Ashlyn Krueger. The Chinese star is rediscovering the form that led to her career-best results in the second half of last year. She has been serving exceptionally well in Miami, as evidenced by her dominant performance against Taylor Townsend. Zheng won 88% of her first-serve points and did not face a single breakpoint in her 6-1, 7-6(3) victory. It was a unique encounter where Zheng faced just two pressure points on serve, winning both. Meanwhile, Townsend played only six pressure points on her own serve, and despite losing just two, she never had a real chance to challenge the Olympic champion.

Krueger also relies heavily on her serve, as demonstrated in her upset over Elena Rybakina and her commanding victory over Leylah Fernandez. Given both players’ serving prowess, this match is likely to feature a serving battle, with a high probability of at least one tiebreak.