Wta 1000 Miami, the second round begins and the top seeds take the court. Here are the possible surprises: news, stats and predictions.
It starts with the second round in women’s singles at the Wta Miami, the fourth 1000 of the season. Today it’s the turn of the top seeds, with the exception of world number two Aryna Sabalenka, hit by a very serious family bereavement: her match with friend Paula Badosa has been postponed until tomorrow.
Britain’s Katie Boulter not even two weeks ago won her first Wta 500 in San Diego but ended up paying for fatigue in her Indian Wells opener, just two days after the final of the previous tournament, and surrendered in two sets to Italy’s Giorgi. Her weeks off may have benefited her, and Czech Brenda Fruhvirtova doesn’t seem to be able to challenge her much: Boulter favored. Victory is also within reach for Ukrainian Lesia Tsurenko, who at the ripe age of 35 is playing some of the best tennis of her career: lucky loser Greet Minnen will be able to do little against her. Disappointing season so far for Russian Liudmila Samsonova, who has not combined much except for the semifinal she reached in Abu Dhabi. And she is taking a big risk against Kazakhstan’s Yulia Putintseva, fresh off a good run in Indian Wells, where she surrendered in the fourth round to world number one Iga Swiatek. Surprise possible.
Azarenka looking for redemption
The semifinalist at the last Australian Open, Dayana Yamstreska, has not been able to stay at that level since her Melbourne exploit. In Indian Wells she even retired before taking the court with Emma Raducanu.
She could take advantage of Russian but naturalized Australian Daria Saville, who has won the last three direct clashes against her – the last one in Brisbane last January – and knows how to put her in trouble. On the other hand, the match between veteran Victoria Azarenka and U.S. Peyton Stearns is not likely to hold any surprises: the Belarusian must redeem her disappointing debut in Indian Wells, where she surrendered to American Dolehide in three sets, and this time she will not commit any missteps. Moment of crisis for Brazilian Beatriz Haddad Maia, world number 13, who will have to watch out for Frenchwoman Parry. Finally, the Zheng-Siniakova and Shnaider-Keys matches could end in the third set.
Wta 1000 Miami, the possible winners
Boulter to Boulter-Fruhvirtova.
Tsurenko in Tsurenko-Minnen
Putintseva in Samsonova-Putintseva
Saville in Saville-Yastremska
Azarenka in Stearns-Azarenka
Wta 1000 Miami, matches of at least 20 games total
Parry-Haddad Maia.
Shnaider-Keys
Zheng-Siniakova
