Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen will resume their rivalry in the Round of 16 at the Miami Open after both players won their third-round matches in contrasting fashion at Hard Rock Stadium on Sunday.
World No. 1 and BNP Paribas Open champion Sabalenka pulled away from American Caty McNally under the lights in the night session, winning 10 of the last 12 games in her 6-4, 6-2 triumph, to follow Zheng’s 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 comeback victory over No. 15 seed Madison Keys.
Miami: Scores | Draws | Order of play
The win was a notable one for Zheng, who is rounding into form after coming back from a major elbow injury that required surgery last year. It marked her first triumph over a Top 20 player in the PIF WTA Rankings since Roland Garros last spring — and she moves on to face off against Sabalenka for a ninth time, in the hopes of securing her second win in their last three matches. After dropping her first six tilts against Sabalenka, Zheng secured her first win in the head-to-head in Rome last May.
More to come…