Angelique rallies, Madison falls
MIAMI: Top seed Angelique Kerber advanced to the fourth round at the Miami Open on Sunday but eighth seed Madison Keys was sent packing.
On a day when Simona Halep, Svetlana Kuznetsova and Venus Williams also won their third round matches, Angelique did not have it all her own way against 61st-ranked American Shelby Rogers.
The German, however, proved too strong, breaking five times for a 6-4, 7-5 win on the main stadium hardcourt at Crandon Park.
“It’s always good to have close sets, especially when you win them at the end.
“They give you confidence that you can go out in your next match knowing you can win close matches because you’ve just done it a day ago,” Angelique told reporters.
Madison, in her second event since returning from wrist surgery, was the only seed to lose on Sunday, falling to 72ndranked Spaniard Lara Arruabarrena 7-5, 7-5.
Third seed Simona took less than an hour to polish off qualifier Anett Kontaveit of Estonia 6-3, 6-0 with an aggressive performance that left the Romanian very pleased.
“I think I played my best match of the year,” Simona told the WTA.
“I was confident, and knew what I had to do ... everything went pretty well for me tonight.”
Russian seventh seed Svetlana, the runner-up last year, stayed on track for another tilt at the championship when she beat American qualifier Taylor Townsend 6-4, 6-2.
A week after losing the Indian Wells final to compatriot Elena Vesnina, Svetlana’s stronger second serve proved the difference as she was broken just once while breaking her opponent four times.
The next challenge for 2006 champion Svetlana will be 11th seed Venus, a three-time Miami champion, who was far too good for Romanian qualifier Patricia Maria Tig 6-3, 6-0.
British 10th seed Johanna Konta and Australian 14th seed Sam Stosur also won their third round matches, Samantha earning a date with Simona. Reuters