By Chris Oddo | Saturday March 26, 2016
Ekaterina Makarova started the upsets early on Saturday as she knocked off No. 8-seeded Petra Kvitova in straight sets.
Photo Source: Sean M. Haffey/Getty
A busy Saturday at the Crandon Park Tennis Center started with a minor upset as Russia’s Ekaterina Makarova downed Petra Kvitova in straight sets to reach the round of 16.
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Makarova improves to 3-4 lifetime versus her fellow southpaw. She rallied from 4-1 down in the first set, taking the final five games to grab the lead.
In the second set Makarova saved both break points she faced and served the match out with aplomb.
Kvitova, who is still without a coach this season, drops to 6-8 in 2016. She reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells to mark her best performance of the year, but was unable to back it up.
Makarova entered Miami having lost five of six, but has now reached the round of 16 at the Miami Open five times, including four of the last five years.
She has gone 0-4 in her previous four round of 16 matches at Miami, and will face either Elina Svitolina or Caroline Wozniacki next.