(Reuters) – Canada’s Bianca Andreescu upset Greek seventh seed Maria Sakkari 5-7 6-3 6-4 to reach the Miami Open third round on Friday while Russia’s Andrey Rublev survived a tough battle against American J.J. Wolf to reach the last 32.
The 22-year-old Andreescu, who has struggled with injuries and form in recent years and is looking for her first title since the 2019 U.S. Open, denied Sakkari any chance to find her rhythm as she fought to victory in three hours.
“Last time I played her I cramped so I’m just super happy that I got through physically,” Andreescu, recalling her late-night, three-and-a-half hour fourth-round encounter with Sakkari at the 2021 U.S. Open, said in her on-court interview.
“It’s the best thing ever. I try to have as much fun as I can and if I am feeling good mentally and physically it’s just a bonus.”
Sakkari got the upper hand in the first set with a superb passing shot to break Andreescu for a 4-3 lead but could not hold serve in the next game despite racing out to a 40-0 lead as the Canadian fought back to level at 4-4.
Andreescu staved off the two break points she faced in the next game to pull ahead but Sakkari held serve after falling behind 15-30 and went up another break before closing out the 63-minute set on her serve with a forehand down the line.
The Canadian held to love to open the second set and then consolidated a break for a 4-1 lead en route to forcing a decider where she went up a double break for another 4-1 lead that she would not surrender.
In the men’s draw, sixth seed Rublev was broken in the opening game against Wolf and trailed for much of the first set but fired 16 aces in the match and was a threat from the baseline as he secured a 7-6(3) 6-4 win.
In other early action, Spanish 22nd seed Roberto Bautista Agut fell 6-4 7-6(5) to Finland’s Emil Ruusuvuori and Canada’s Denis Shapovalov beat Argentine Guido Pella 6-3 3-6 6-3.
Defending men’s champion Carlos Alcaraz, who arrived in Miami looking to back up his Indian Wells title and complete the “Sunshine Double”, will cap the afternoon session on Stadium court with a second-round clash against Facundo Bagnis.
Spanish top seed Alcaraz, who did not drop a set at Indian Wells, must retain his Miami crown to stay ahead of Serbian Novak Djokovic and hold onto top spot in the rankings.
Among the other seeded men’s players in second-round action on Friday are Norway’s Casper Ruud, American Taylor Fritz, German Alexander Zverev and Danish teenager Holger Rune.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)
