The ladies were the top attraction on Thursday at the Miami Open. After being tested in the first set, three time champion Venus Williams dismissed 27 year old qualifier Dalila Jakupovic 7-5, 6-3 to punch her ticket into the second round. Down break point in the opening game, two time Wimbledon titlist Petra Kvitová went on to secure the first set 6-1. Then, behind 0-2 in the second, the Czech leveled the set and eventually captured the match 6-1, 6-4 against Maria Sakkari.
Without questions, the match of the tournament to date belonged to Indian Wells reigning champion Bianca Andreescu battling Irina Begu. The Canadian double faulted in the second set on break point to stare at a 4-6, 1-5 deficit. At that point, the 18 year old called her coach on court. Those words of wisdom and the confidence of the ultimate two weeks led to Andreescu dismissing a match point. Little by little, the young talent chipped away at Begu’s lead to move ahead 6-5. The second set was settled in a tiebreaker dominated by Andreescu. Soon, the teen sensation took control of the decisive set to complete her comeback 4-6,7-6,6-2.
Following the match, Andreescu commented “she’s a great fighter. I started a bit slow in the first and second set, and then I called my coach. He obviously helped me, like he always does, and I fought as hard as I could. I’m really proud of myself with how I dealt with everything. I think confidence is a lot. If you have trust in your game and in your training, then a lot of good things can happen. I think at that moment that’s exactly what happened.”
According to Andreescu at the outset of 2019 what she hoped for was “to get into the main draw of the French Open, which I have accomplished already, to always improve as a player and as a person with every match I play, to crack into the top 50 by the end of the year.” The Canadian is currently ranked 24th and her star is on the upswing.
Caroline Garcia squared against three time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka in the second round. A see saw second set was finally claimed by Garcia for a 6-3, 6-4 victory. 2017 winner Johanna Konta comfortably vanquished qualifier Jessica Pegula 6-1, 6-4.
34 year old Samantha Stosur regrouped after squandering a 6-4, 3-0 cushion against 17th seed Madison Keys. In addition, the 2011 U.S Open winner was a break down 3-4 in the third set. She pocketed three successive games, helped by a bevy of miscues by Keys, to advance 6-4, 4-6, 6-4 into the third round where she will face fellow Aussie Ashleigh Barty.