Jabeur, Garcia, Sakkari Upset, Sabalenka A Winner At Miami Masters; Pegula v Collins

Three more top players fell by the wayside at the Miami Masters on Friday. Ons Jabeur, Caroline Garcia and Maria Sakkari all hit the exits in their first matches.

Sakkari began the last day of the women’s second by opening play in the first match on Stadium. But the Greek got bounced by former finalist Bianca Andreescu from a set down 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

“I felt like I was on my heels a lot of the time during the match, but I made every ball,” said Andreescu. “I fought to the end, and I think I played the important points just a little bit better today. But, yeah, it could have gone either way today.

“It’s just another step in gaining most of my confidence back,” she added. “I’m feeling really good on the court. I’m trying to be as fearless as I can be. It’s not always easy, but I feel like I’m getting there, and wins like this obviously help with that because at this point I think it’s just me getting matches in and playing tough rounds like this and knowing I can win.”

Caroline Garcia was upset by Sorana Cirstea 6-2, 6-3. Garcia’s lost her last two matches, both to Cirstea.

And Ons Jabeur’s continued to struggle in her comeback going down to Varvara Gracheva 6-2, 6-2. The 22-year-old Russian broke the 2-time Slam finalist for 2-0 in both sets.

After a horrible serving day Sunday in the Indian Wells final, the highest seed in the event Aryna Sabalenka found her form with a good 6-4, 6-3 win over American Shelby Rogers.

The 2nd-ranked Sabalenka hit four aces, won 25/29 (86%) on first serves, lost just 4 points on first serve and broke serve four times in the match. She did seek treatment early in the second as she fell behind.

“For now I feel fine. I will try to fix this problem and be ready for the next match,” Sabalenka said. “It was definitely a tough match. Super happy that even if I was struggling with my leg a little bit I was able to finish the match in two sets.”

Sabalenka has now won all four of tour-level head-to-head contests with Rogers.

Also on Friday, The 9th-seeded Belinda Bencic defeated Canada’s Leylah Fernandez 6-1, 6-1. Marketa Vondrousova upended No. 11 Veronika Kudermetova in straights 6-4, 6-2. No. 15 seed Petra Kvitova rolled her teenage countrywoman Linda Noskova 6-3, 6-0.

The 16th-seeded Barbora Krejcikova handled (Aliaksandra Sasnovich 6-3, 6-2. No. 19 seed Madison Keys got the better of 18-year-old Robin Montgomery 6-4, 6-4 and the 17th-seeded former finalist Karolina Pliskova advanced past (53y,r) Xinyu Wang 6-2, 6-4.

The Saturday slate boasts the start of third round action with No. 3 Jessica Pegula colliding with No. 30 Danielle Collins. Pegula their only previous meeting at 2021 Canada.

No. 6 Coco Gauff faces with No. 27 Anastasia Potapova, No. 10 Elena Rybakina draws No. 21 Paula Badosa, No. 12 Liudmila Samsonova tests No. 23 Qinwen Zheng, No. 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia meets No. 24 Jelena Ostapenko and former champion No. 14 Victoria Azarenka will challenge No. 20 Magda Linette.

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