By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday March 27, 2023
Aryna Sabalenka eased past Barbora Krejcikova for the second time this month to book her spot in the last eight in Miami.
Photo Source: Getty
Aryna Sabalenka hit a speed bump in the BNP Paribas Open final last Sunday, falling to Elena Rybakina in a tough outing that saw her hit 10 double-faults in the opening set.
Rather than hang her head the World No.2 has stiffened her resolve and resumed her winning ways in Miami.
Sabalenka powered past Barbora Krecjikova 6-3, 6-2 to wrap up Monday’s night session in Miami, improving to 20-2 on the season and reaching the quarterfinals for the second time.
Sabalenka, who won her maiden Grand Slam at this year's Australian Open, is the first woman to reach the 20-win mark on the WTA Tour in 2023.
The 24-year-old cracked eight aces against just one double-fault and saved the only break point she faced against the No.16 seed. She was impeccable on serve, winning 29 of 33 first-serve pionts and eight of 14 behind the second serve.
Sabalenka has now won seven of eight against the Top-20 in 2023 – she will take on Romania’s Sorana Cirstea in the last eight.
The quarterfinals are set on the women’s side in Miami, with No.2-seeded Sabalenka leading the way.
No.18-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova will face 15th-seeded Petra Kvitova in the other lower half quarterfinal.
On the top half 7th-seeded Elena Rybakina will face Italy’s Martina Trevisan, while third-seeded Jessica Pegula will take on Anastasia Potapova of Russia.