Miami Open: Sakkari bounces back, Kalinina stuns Wozniacki in second round
MIAMI: Maria Sakkari, fresh off her recent loss in the Indian Wells final, showcased her resilience as she cruised past China’s Yuan Yue with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 victory, advancing to the third round of the Miami Open.
This commanding win marks a return to form for Sakkari, who had faced disappointment in her previous Miami appearances, failing to progress past the initial rounds.
In contrast, the journey to victory was more arduous for Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina. The fourth seed encountered a tough challenge from Danish qualifier Clara Tauson, eventually prevailing with a hard-fought 3-6, 7-5, 6-4 victory.
After a back-and-forth battle that saw the players split the opening sets, Rybakina seized control in the decisive third set, securing a crucial break to edge ahead 3-2 and maintaining her lead until the end.
Meanwhile, in another second-round matchup, Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina staged a remarkable comeback against former-world number one Caroline Wozniacki. Trailing 2-5 in the second set and facing a match point, Kalinina refused to concede defeat. With a fearless approach, she aggressively attacked Wozniacki’s serve, ultimately clawing her way back to claim a stunning 5-7, 7-5, 6-4 victory.(Reuters)
