Elena Rybakina saves match point to extend win streak; Mertens wins

MIAMI: World No.7 Elena Rybakina rallied from a set down to defeat former No.2 Paula Badosa 3-6, 7-5, 6-3 in the third round of the WTA section of the Miami Open.

The victory extended Rybakina’s current win streak to 10 matches and kept the Indian Wells champion’s hopes alive of sweeping a double in Florida.

Rybakina will face Elise Mertens in the Round of 16 on Monday. Mertens booked a spot in her first fourth round at a WTA 1000 this season by defeating 29th seed Petra Martic 6-4, 6-3 in a match that ended well after 1:00 a.m.

Coming off her triumph in the California desert a week ago, Rybakina has had to go the distance in her first two matches in Miami. In her opening match, Rybakina defeated Anna Kalinskaya 7-5, 4-6, 6-3.

But facing Badosa for the seventh time in her career was a different challenge. While the Spaniard may be struggling to start her 2023 campaign, having dropped down to No.29 in the rankings, Badosa came into the match with a 4-2 lead in their head-to-head. Badosa also found herself in a moment of transition, having recently split with coach Jorge Garcia.

In another match on Saturday, Elise Mertens of Belgium defeated Petra Martic 6-4, 6-3 of Croatia.

Coco Gauff let a big lead slip away and wound up dropping the last five games of a mistake-filled 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2 loss to Anastasia Potapova in the third round.

When Gauff dumped a backhand return into the net to fall to 1-5 against seeded opponents this season, Potapova covered her mouth with a hand and shook her head. She had been 0-2 against Gauff previously, but now will move on to face No. 23 Zheng Qinwen in the fourth round.

Zheng beat No. 12 Liudmila Samsonova 5-7, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Other results included No. 3 Jessica Pegula’s 6-1, 7-6 (0) win over No. 30 Danielle Collins; No. 20 Magda Linette’s 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4 victory over three-time Miami Open champion Victoria Azarenka; and 2017 French Open champion Jelena Ostapenko’s 6-2, 4-6, 6-3 victory against No. 13 Beatriz Haddad Maia. Agencies

Also Read: Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Jessica Pegula advance at Miami Open

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